And the World Stood Still
by insaneantics21
Summary: Final installment of the trilogy. Preceded by "Fairytales Don't Always Have a Happy Ending" and "We Know It's Never Simple, Never Easy". M for several reasons. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note and disclaimer: **

**J.K. owns Harry Potter. 'Nuff said.**

Welcome! I am glad you're here, really.

I didn't title the chapters because I am lazy. No other reason, just lazy.

This is the longest installment as far as word count goes, there's about the same number of chapters but a lot of them are longer than any of others have been thus far. Except for this one. This one is rather short.

This was most definitely the most difficult installment to write not only because it is the finale but because of the intensity and darkness of some of it. I worked pretty hard on it, I really hope you find it satisfactory.

**Warnings: Torture, violence, and non-graphic depictions of rape and its consequences.**

Anyways, enough with my rambling! Here goes!

* * *

**-Chapter 1-**

Early Friday morning Ginny dragged her trunk and Quaffle's empty cage out of her room at the stadium dormitory to the double-decker parked outside. She was slightly worried that Quaffle hadn't returned yet from the night before when she had sent a letter to Harry. She went into the bus and up to the second level where the beds were and after pushing her trunk under her bed she lay down on. She heard a couple of the other girls coming up the stairs.

"I still can't believe she showed up here yesterday."

"Yeah, I know. You think Ginny saw her?"

"Don't think so, she didn't say anything."

Ginny sat up when the girls got to the beds. "Aislin, Willow, what are you guys talking about?"

"Shite, Ginny, we didn't know you were up here…" said Aislin, startled.

Aislin was a tall, slender girl who was two years younger than Ginny. She was quick on her broom and would make an excellent Seeker but insisted on the thrill of being a Chaser. She was a Metamorphmagus and had changed her short spiky hair color to red, white and blue from its normal black. She hadn't gone to Hogwarts but instead a small private school in Ireland that Ginny hadn't ever heard of. When she failed to make Ireland's national Quidditch team she tried for England instead.

"We were talking about…uh…well…Heddwyn said he saw that Granger girl up here yesterday. Looking for you," Willow said as she rummaged through her trunk. She was a rather small girl, perfect for her position as Seeker although at this point she was just a reserve. Like Ginny she had flaming red hair and plenty of passion behind it. After learning Willow's history the first time they met four years ago Ginny had acted as sort of a surrogate sister for the younger redhead.

Willow was the same age as Aislin but was actually from the United States. She was expelled from the Salem Witches Institute the summer before she was to finish school because she hexed a Muggle for teasing her younger sister. Willow's parents, both pure bloods and high ranking officials in the United States Ministry of Magic, used their status to have her transferred to Hogwarts for her final year of education. When she decided on a professional Quidditch career Willow's parents sent all of her belongings to her along with a letter indicating she wasn't to return home until she decided on a "more suitable career path". Willow played for the Chudley Cannons and as a result she and Ginny didn't get to see each other much but they did write as often as they could.

"Oh. H-How'd she look?" Ginny asked.

"Dunno, he didn't say. He's a guy, you know they don't notice that stuff." Willow kicked her shoes off and stretched out on the bed to the left of Ginny.

"You gonna send her a letter before we leave?" Aislin asked as she put her trunk under the bed on the other side of Ginny. "You can use my owl if you want."

"No. I still have a lot of thinking to do. I mean…she thought about shagging my brother. That's not something you get over in a few days."

"Oh come on Weasley, don't tell me you haven't thought about shagging any girls since you've been with her." Aislin sat at the foot of Ginny's bed.

"That's totally different though…I never snogged any of them."

"He kissed her, remember? It's really not that different, Gin. Would you have reacted the same way if it had been someone she saw from across the room?"

"I-I…you are totally missing the point, Aislin. She…it was my brother…"

"It's however you want to deal with it but you know I'm right."

"Hey, if you want your brother to be distracted I'll take him off your hands!" Willow grinned. Ginny threw a pillow at her and laughed. The rest of the team started filing in, most everyone headed right to a bed and went back to sleep. Quaffle flew into the open window by Ginny's bed carrying a flat rectangular parcel. Ginny took the parcel and he flew to his cage and fell asleep. Neither the parcel nor the letter attached had any writing on it. Ginny opened the letter first, she immediately recognized Hermione's writing.

_12 May, 2006_

_Good luck, remember you promised to come back to me alive._

_Love Always,  
Hermione _

Ginny tossed the letter on her bed and looked at the package. She untied the string and unwrapped the paper. She recognized it as the back of one of Hermione's canvases and flipped it over. Ginny traced her fingers over the image before her. The painting was of Hermione, Lennox and Ginny. Hermione was holding Lennox on her hip and looking at him with a smile; Ginny was standing behind Hermione, her lips gently touching Hermione's cheek, with her arms wrapped around the brunette's waist. There wasn't much room for background on the small canvas but what she saw they were in a forest, a house was in the top right corner.

Ginny stared at the painting in her hands, she didn't know how long she was dazed but she was broken from it by turbulence from the bus taking off. She looked around, everyone else was asleep. She quietly pulled her trunk out from underneath her bed and put the painting letter inside.

* * *

Alright so we have a couple of new characters here! To answer your question, yes, Willow is a bit of a shout-out to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This is not a crossover by any means, I just thought it'd be fun to give a wink and a nudge to another awesome fantasy series.


	2. Chapter 2

**-Chapter 2-**

It was a dreary Sunday evening. After dinner Hermione sat quietly at Grimmauld Place listening to the Wireless with Harry and Luna.

"_Welcome back to the first game in Round One of the Quidditch World Cup! We're an hour into England versus Peru; England just took a time out after Peru scored their fifth goal leaving England still with zeros on the board. England Captain Ginny Weasley is mounting her broom to play for the first time today. For those of you who have been living under a rock and don't know, this will be Captain Weasley's first official game since a devastating injury in December took her out of Regional play with the Holyhead Harpies for the remainder of that season."_

Hermione sighed. Despite her best efforts she hadn't seen or spoken to Ginny since the party. She sent letters and even came to the stadium the day before England was to leave for Peru. One of Ginny's teammates told Hermione to "shove the fuck off, heartbreaker". None of them would tell Hermione where she was but she was sure she saw a glimpse of flaming red hair running into one of the rooms. She hoped the letter and parcel got to her before the bus took off.

"_Weasley scores for England! Amazing, she was up in the air for thirty seconds and England got on the board! We're all hoping she has a fantastic last season and it looks like she might be off a good start. The Quaffle is up again and Peru takes possession…"_

"I'm going to go down to the kitchen and make some tea," Hermione said as she stood up. "Can I get either of you something?"

"I can get Vincent to do it," Harry offered.

"No. I will do it." Hermione walked down to the kitchen and started the kettle. She stood over the kitchen sink while the water simmered on the stove. There was a glass in the sink and before she could really think about it she picked up the glass and hurled it at the wall.

"How the hell could I do this to her?" Hermione half yelled, half sobbed. She started pacing the kitchen floor talking to herself. "I couldn't just keep my mouth shut. I had doubts though. Everyone has doubts before they get married, don't they?"

"Yeah, they do," Harry said as he walked up to Hermione and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He pulled her over to the kitchen table.

"Ugh…Harry. How is it that you are always the one that manages to find me like this?"

"Sobbing and hysterical? I have no idea, maybe because you and I went through quite a lot together. We've got something that neither of us will ever have with anyone else, you know? I guess it is just how we work."

"I guess…how much do I owe you for that glass?"

"I'll fix it, don't worry." He aimed his wand at the floor. "_Reparo!_" The glass put itself back together and Harry levitated it to the sink.

"Will she come back to me, Harry?"

"I think so. She just needs some time, you know?" Harry gave Hermione his handkerchief and she dried her eyes.

"I just had a few doubts, that's all…I don't understand how she could get so upset over that."

"I think it was because she was having doubts, too. Not about getting married but about stopping Quidditch."

"How do you know?"

"She told me. But she told me not to tell you. I don't really care though…I hate seeing you like this and you deserve an explanation. She thought if you were having doubts about getting married and you called it off that she would've quit Quidditch for nothing."

"I told her I didn't want to call anything off. I told her I still wanted to get married and that my doubts were only momentary. Does she not understand that for three years it has been me and Lennox? Spending weekends together is nothing like living together, this is going to be huge for both of us. If it happens, that is."

"Okay…I'm going to tell you something that only two people in the world know. One of them is me, obviously, and the other is Luna."

Hermione looked at Harry rather befuddled.

"Luna and I almost didn't get married. She took her dad's death harder than anyone knows. She shut herself up and completely called off the wedding. Luna told me after that she didn't want to get married or see me again because of all the things that could happen to me because of my job and it was too much of a change."

"Wow…Harry...how long did it take her to come around?"

"Uh…a couple months, actually. I know that's not what you wanted to hear but every situation is different."

"Well it's a good thing Ginny has a few months to decide. We…we set a date. We were going to announce it at her party last weekend."

"That's fantastic, Hermione. When?"

"September ninth. Mum and I were planning on going dress shopping next week. She found a shop near her and Dad's office that has some nice gowns."

"Good…that's good. You should do that. You should keep planning. That's what I did when Luna refused to talk to me. She had done the basics but I planned the rest of it. Did you know there are over a hundred species of roses and every color has a different meaning?"

"I didn't know that, no."

"Yeah," Harry laughed, "and if you don't know which one you want the florists get really irritated. As do caterers when you don't know if you want quail, steak, chicken, fish, or tofu. Here's a tip, go for a buffet." The kettle started whistling, Harry got up and removed it from the stove and got three cups, teabags and a tray to carry everything.

"Thanks for the advice, Harry." Hermione smiled. They went back upstairs just in time to hear that England caught the Golden Snitch and they won the match 200-60.

_"We're throwing it down to the field where our correspondent has caught up with Captain Ginny Weasley. Go ahead, Fox!"_

_"Hey everyone, I'm here with England Captain Ginny Weasley. Captain, first and foremost, how are you feeling after your first official game since your injury?"_

_"I'm feeling really fantastic. It's great to be back and I hope this is just the start of a long World Cup season."_

_"You plan on retiring this year, correct?"_

_"Yeah, that's the plan for now. I'm gonna be taking over the Quidditch reporting department at _The Daily Prophet_ in London."_

_"Sources say that's not the only reason you're leaving. Can you confirm anything else?"_

_"This isn't a gossip show, Fox."_

_"Right, sorry. Tell us about your strategy for this game? Why not come in as a starter?"_

_"I wanted to see some of our other players get some game time while I observed and coached a little. Everyone did really well and I am proud of the whole team and I hope we can pull off another victory next week."_

_"Thanks Captain, good luck next week"_

Hermione smiled. She missed the sound of Ginny's voice.

"Where's Ginny?" Lennox looked at the Wireless, slightly confused.

Hermione giggled a bit. "Ginny's playing Quidditch."

"Ginny's in the box!"

"No, honey, Ginny's not in the box. It was just her voice."

"Oh. I miss Ginny," Lennox sat down in the floor and played with the plane Ginny got him for Christmas.

"I miss her too, baby. She'll be home soon."

There was a tap on the sitting room window. It was Hermione's little owl with a letter tied to her leg. She sprang up out of her seat and let her in.

"Oh! Finally!" Hermione tore open the envelope and read the note inside. She looked excited then as she folded up the letter she looked slightly disappointed.

"Something the matter Hermione?" Luna asked.

"Well…depending on how things go with Ginny I may have gotten some good news."

"Oh yeah?" Harry looked intrigued.

"Yeah…I…well. I kind of wanted it to be a surprise but I am going to need your help with it eventually so I might as well tell you." Hermione sat back down on the couch. "I found out that a co-worker at the Ministry who owns the land across the river from the Burrow is selling it. I've spoken to him and been out there a couple of times to look around. There's nothing on it but an old woodshed, the house that was on the land was destroyed in the first war."

"What are you getting at, Hermione?"

"I…I've told him I am interested in possibly buying the land. There's quite a bit of it there, most of it is wooded but that clear patch would be suitable to build on."

"Hermione that's awesome!" Harry smiled. "You should buy it. I'm sure if you got a really good builder the house could be done in time for you guys to move in right after the wedding. I've seen Wizard builders in action, they move pretty quickly. They built an entire new floor of Azkaban in less than a year. Who owns the land?"

"Amos Diggory owns it. He uh…he was planning on giving it to Cedric when he married. I've known that much for a while now. Since Ginny and I got together the first time, actually. Anyways, Mrs. Diggory finally convinced him to sell it. They said they like my offer and would like to meet next weekend to finalize the deal."

"I think you should do it 'Mione. It would be a good investment if nothing else. Villages like Ottery St. Catchpole are expanding with both Muggle and magical people. Land like that could be really valuable in a few years if you decide not to live on it."

"I think I will. Harry, is Luna alright?" Hermione looked over to the blonde witch.

Luna remained silent during the entire conversation. She didn't have her normal dreamy expression, this was darker. Her normally glimmering blue eyes didn't shine. She was snapped out of her daze by Harry kneeling in front of her.

"Luna…Luna. Sweetheart, you in there? Luna? Are you okay?"

"Oh…yes. I suppose I just kind of went off a bit. I'm dreadfully sorry."

"Are you sure you're all right, Luna?" Hermione asked. "Can I get you anything?"

Harry got up and sat back down next to Luna.

"I'm fine. Harry, we should go with Hermione next weekend. I would rather enjoy some time out in the country. Would you mind, Hermione?"

"No, of course not. I'd love it. There's a little restaurant that I Flooed to in the village the first time I went out there, we can use that one and have Mr. and Mrs. Diggory meet us there."

"Or we can Floo to the Burrow," Harry suggested. "We could have Arthur and Molly watch the twins while we go around looking. They've been begging for us to bring them around by ourselves so they can spend some time with them."

"Harry, do you really think it is a good idea for me to be at the Burrow right now?"

"Good point. Maybe we could…"

"I want to see my house," Luna said out of nowhere. It wasn't until that moment that Hermione remembered that the Lovegood House, or what was left of it, was in Ottery St. Catchpole.

"Luna…are you sure about that?" Harry said as he wrapped an arm around her.

"Quite sure. It's my property and I have a right to see what has become of it."

"Arthur goes over there on occasion to check up on it; he assures me that everything is fine. We don't have to go over there."

"Harry, I want to. I will with or without you so you might as well come with."

"Okay." Harry looked at Hermione. "On Saturday Luna, the twins and I can Floo to the Burrow, drop the twins off, and apparate to the house to meet you there at two. After that we can meet the Diggorys wherever. Does that work for you Hermione?"

"Works for me. My parents want to take Lennox for the day so after I drop him off I'll come here then Floo to the village then meet you there."


	3. Chapter 3

**-Chapter 3-**

Hermione stood in the small restaurant in Ottery St. Catchpole. She checked her watch, it was 1:30. Harry and Luna would be at the Burrow right now, talking to the Molly and Arthur. Hermione wandered around the small village. She saw the paper shop where George and Fred had borderline stalked one of the girls working there one Christmas. There was a Muggle market with all sorts of fresh produce out front and a small butcher shop next to that. As she walked down the street she spotted a bookstore and stepped inside. An odd old man rushed to the door, his arms full of books, when he heard the bell. Hermione noticed a painting of Dumbledore on the wall and smiled.

"Can I help you, miss? Looking for a nice novel or travel guide?"

"I'm just browsing, thank you." Hermione nodded to the painting on the wall. "Albus Dumbledore."

The old man smiled. "Aha, a witch! Sometimes it is hard to tell, you know? You young magical folk sometimes blend in with the Muggles. Did you have the pleasure of knowing him?"

"I did. I studied at Hogwarts the last six years he was Headmaster."

"Ah, yes. You must have known Harry Potter then! Fine young man, comes around the village on occasion. Very close with the Weasley family, they live just south of here."

"Yes, Harry and I are good friends. As a matter of fact I am meeting him here in the village later today along with Mr. and Mrs. Diggory."

"Hermione Granger! Amos talked about you. Said you are interested in purchasing the land he owns down by the river. Would you mind terribly doing me a favor?"

"I…uh…okay. What can I do?"

The old man rummaged behind his counter and pulled out a black book. It looked fairly new and the gold lettering on the spine read _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts: Second Edition_.

"I've been collecting signatures through of those who fought in the second war. You're mentioned several times, sidekick to Mr. Potter, brightest witch of your age and all. Oh what am I saying, you've read the book of course!" The old man laughed and opened the front cover revealing dozens of signatures. Hermione saw several names she recognized. He handed her a quill and she scoured the page, found the spot she wanted and signed right underneath Ginny's name.

"Actually I haven't read the second edition," Hermione said. "While I am here though, do you have a copy of _The History of Magic_? I'm afraid mine is on its last thread of the binding. I've had it rebound twice but it just keeps falling apart."

"Of course Miss Granger, over there," he gestured to a shelf by the staircase. "So you want to move that close to Molly and Arthur?" the old man talked loudly while Hermione browsed through the books. "I'm surprised. Rita Skeeter had quite a heyday over Ginny Weasley's behavior after the young lady started playing for Holyhead. Wrote that her suspensions and fighting were a result of being heartbroken after you left her at the altar for a Russian you met only hours before the wedding. Said the poor Weasley girl spent two months at St. Mungo's to recover from trying to poison herself."

Hermione turned red. She found the book and headed towards the counter.

"Rita Skeeter is nothing more than a gossiping dolt," Hermione said as she tossed the book on the counter. "And Ginny and I are getting married in September, I'll have you know."

"Well...congratulations on the upcoming wedding." The old man turned red. "Would you like a copy of this as well?" he asked, showing Hermione a copy of the book she just signed_._

"No, thank you. This is all." Hermione checked her watch. 1:55.

"All right, four Galleons and two Sickles then."

Hermione paid the old man then left the shop. She walked far enough out of the village that no one would see her then disapparated. She landed just outside of what was left of the original Lovegood house. She hadn't been there since it collapsed. She set her bag down close to the falling over fence and walked around.

There were two loud cracks behind her and she turned to see Harry and Luna. Hermione walked over and put an arm around Luna's shoulder. Luna looked around and started moving toward the overgrown path that led to the pile of debris that was her childhood home. She pulled away from Hermione and wandered around.

"Where did they go, Harry?" Hermione asked. "After all this happened. She...she never really talked about it at Hogwarts."

Luna walked around aimlessly. The two followed her slowly.

"They moved around a lot. Basically lived out of an enchanted tent. Xeno saw it as a good opportunity to commune with nature or something like that. I saw it a few times when I would pick her up for dates. It was actually rather nice."

They watched as Luna walked through the pile of bricks and peered at some of the still standing walls. Harry walked up to her and slid an arm around her waist. Luna turned to her husband and buried her head in his chest. Harry wrapped his arms around her tight. Hermione walked up to the pair and looked around, there in the debris was a large piece that Hermione couldn't figure out how it had stayed intact. It was almost the whole of Luna's bedroom ceiling with the faded portraits of her, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Neville painted on it.

The blonde was sobbing into Harry's chest and he held her up, knowing she would collapse if he didn't. Hermione looked around and saw remnants of a printing press, dishes, and furniture.

"Do you want to leave now?" Harry asked Luna.

"I don't know." Luna pulled away from Harry, her eyes red and bloodshot. She sat down on a rock and looked around.

"You know I could have this rebuilt, Luna," Harry said as he sat down next to his wife and put an arm around her waist. "All of it. It could be like a vacation home. We could come out here on weekends so the boys and this one," Harry put a hand on Luna's stomach, "can have a place to run off their energy. You know we have plenty of means to do so. We could get the gardens growing again and you could even set back up _The Quibbler_ if you wanted. I'd build you an entire space just for printing and offices. I'd even hire a full staff so you wouldn't have to worry about things."

Luna cried harder and Harry held her tighter.

"You…you would…do that…" Luna got out between sobs.

"Luna, sweetheart, I love you and you know I would do absolutely anything for you. If it is what you want then we'll do it."

Luna could only nod and smile a little. Hermione put a hand on the blonde's shoulder.

"Ginny and I would love having you close by on the weekends. Lennox would have children to play with, it would be wonderful. He loves playing with the twins."

Luna smiled even bigger. "Okay. Yes. I…I would like that."

"I'll set up a meeting with a contractor first thing Monday morning," Harry said. He smiled as he looked into Luna's bright blue eyes and kissed her.

Harry, Luna, and Hermione apparated to just outside the village. Hermione lead them to the small restaurant where they were to meet the Diggorys. They were already at a table, the three joined them.

"Good to see you Harry," Amos said. "How's the Auror office treating you?"

"I'm doing quite well there, sir. Robards reckons that I'll have his job after he leaves."

"Good! Good for you!" Amos smiled. "I suppose Miss Granger here has told you of the deal we're negotiating?"

"Yeah, she has. Luna and I thought we would come down here with her to have a look around."

"Well, Miss Granger have you made your decision?"

"I have and at the advice of Harry I have for you an order of transfer from Gringotts for four thousand Galleons."

Amos looked half disappointed at the fact that he was selling the land he always meant for his only son to one day reside on.

"All you have to do is sign this and the copy then." He pushed the land deed towards Hermione along with a quill. She looked over the deed quickly. Fifteen acres of land...sole responsibility...legal and binding contract. She scribbled her name on the first paper, then the second and smiled. Amos took one copy and Hermione the other.

After saying goodbye Harry, Luna, and Hermione apparated to the clearing of land Hermione had just bought. The circular clearing was quite large with a wide path carved out on the east side acting as a driveway from the main road out of Ottery St. Catchpole; there was more than enough room for a modest size house, gardens, a garage, and still have plenty of space for a yard.

"This is great, Hermione. Which way is the Burrow?" Harry asked.

Hermione pointed south into the forest. "I want to clear out a wide path and have a footbridge put in over the river that would lead right up to the Burrow so we don't have to go out the driveway and around to get there." She walked over towards the gravel driveway. "I picture the house over here. Nothing too big, basement, ground floor, and top floor. Then a garage here at the end of the driveway." She walked almost to the edge of the forest. "Then," she said moving to the north side of the clearing, "gardens here in the back. Fresh fruits and vegetables in the summertime, wouldn't that be magnificent? The old woodshed would be perfect for storing everything we'd need."

"That sounds wonderful, Hermione," Luna said with a smile, looking around. Hermione walked to the west side of the clearing.

"Of course all of this would be space for the kids to play and it would be fantastic for parties and holidays. I'll make sure the builders put plenty of windows on the west end of the house, perhaps even a sunroom."

"I'm going to have to find some really patient builders for you, aren't I?" Harry laughed.

"I don't want anything incredibly upscale, really. A kitchen, sitting room, dining room, half-bathroom and study on the ground floor then the master suite plus two or three more bedrooms on the top floor with at least two more bathrooms. I haven't decided on the basement, possibly have it furnished to be like a common room, you know? Or I guess more bedrooms depending on how many kids we have. I do want a cellar for all of the fresh produce, I know."

"You could have your own library," Harry half-joked.

"I could…" Hermione said with a smile.

"I think it sounds quite charming, Hermione," Luna said as she wandered around.

"How long would something like I described take, Harry? I don't want shoddy quick work, I want everything to be done up to code and legally. Money is of no concern." Hermione walked around taking mental notes.

"Well if you got with a good Wizard contractor right away," Harry thought for a moment, counting to himself. "I'd say that it would be done in time for the wedding. Maybe even before."

"Perfect, that would be perfect. I could move in before the wedding even, tell Ginny that we can't go to my flat anymore for some reason or another. I'll think of something."

"Why not have the wedding here?" Luna suggested.

"No…not the wedding. Ginny wants it at the Burrow. The reception though…if I got the path cleared and the footbridge built and of course there's always apparating…we could have the reception here. I don't know how I could pull that off though."

"You have plenty of time to plan, just worry about the house for now," Harry said. "I've got a whole list of designers and builders at work from when we added on to Azkaban."

"I can do the designs. I just need someone to make them happen."


	4. Chapter 4

**-Chapter 4-**

England won the match the next day and returned for a week off before staring practice to play France. It took some convincing but Ginny decided to stay at Grimmauld Place instead of the Burrow. Harry helped Hermione cover her tracks by telling everyone she had to work late so that she could meet after work with the builders.

Even though she was there at Grimmauld Place and the twins' first birthday party had been the previous night Hermione didn't see Ginny at all until Thursday. Hermione was standing in the foyer talking to Harry when Ginny came running down the stairs from her floor calling to Luna about some odd insect she had found under her desk. Behind her came another smaller redhead. Ginny stopped on the last step, the girl behind her nearly crashed into Ginny.

Hermione's jaw almost hit the floor. "Ginny…" she gasped.

"'Mione…it's um…not what you think." Ginny turned to the girl behind her.

"Y'need a minute Gin?" The girl put her hand on Ginny's shoulder. Hermione turned red.

"Yeah, thanks Willow."

"I'm gonna go to Diagon Alley, I want to look around the Quidditch store again."

"Okay, you can Floo from the sitting room."

The girl went passed Ginny and to the sitting room.

Ginny tucked her hair behind her ear, Hermione noticed the ring glimmering.

"Harry, do you mind…" Hermione gestured to Lennox.

"Yeah Hermione, don't worry. Come on Lennox," Harry said, taking the young boy's hand and leading him into the sitting room. "Uncle Harry is going to teach you how to use _Incendio_." He turned around and winked at Hermione.

"Well?" Hermione said sternly, her face almost purple.

Ginny didn't look too enthusiastic but she headed up the stairs and motioned for Hermione to follow. Ginny walked towards the door of the drawing room. Hermione caught a glimpse into Ginny's room and saw two separate beds, she relaxed a bit. She followed Ginny into the drawing room. Ginny sat on one end of the couch. Hermione looked around the room and spotted the painting she'd sent sitting propped up on Ginny's desk.

"Her name is Willow," Ginny said before Hermione could ask. "She's just a friend. We met four years ago at England trials."

"I see."

"I've never touched her and I have no intention of doing so. On top of the fact that she doesn't fancy girls she's more like my sister than anything."

"You've never mentioned her before."

"We've lost touch a bit, I still sent her owls every now and then to make sure she was doing okay. Obviously I've kind of had my hands full the passed year. That's why I invited her to stay here for the week, so we could catch up."

"Oh. Okay then. Congratulations on the wins, by the way." Hermione moved and sat down on the couch.

"Thanks." Ginny stared at the floor.

"Lennox…he got upset when he heard your voice in that interview and you weren't here. He missed you, Ginny. I-I did…do too."

"I missed him, too."

"Ginny please, we need to talk about what happened."

"What do you want me to say? For the love of Merlin, you snogged my brother and thought about shagging him!"

"He was the one that kissed me! And as for what I thought...It was just cold feet! That was the only time I ever thought anything like that since we've been together. You can't tell me you haven't thought even for a split second about it about some girl you saw in the street."

"Ugh...between you and Aislin...Ron is my brother, it's different!"

"How?!"

"It just is! Do you want me or him?!"

"I want you, Ginevra! You! Only you! I swear to you. If you want proof then here." Hermione pulled a small bottle out of her pocket and handed it to Ginny. The redhead inspected.

"What is this?"

"Veritaserum. I…procured it…from work. If you ask me to take it I will. I will do anything to prove that the only thing I want in the world is you." Hermione reached out and put her hand on Ginny's cheek. "I love you Ginny. You are who I want."

Ginny closed her eyes as Hermione's fingers slid through her hair.

"Why did you have second thoughts?" Ginny asked, resisting the urge to just tackle Hermione and make love to her on the couch right then and there.

"Because…this is going to be a really big change for the both of us," Hermione said. "Babysitting Lennox while I am at work and staying a few weekends in my flat is absolutely nothing compared to being a full-time mother. You haven't been with him while he's sick or throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of a busy store or cleaned up after he's finger painted all over the walls."

"I've spent plenty of time with him, I know his habits, his personality...what I don't know I can learn, Hermione! I'm not totally incompetent, you know?" Ginny tried her best to remain calm.

"I do not doubt your competence; I'm just very protective of Lennox. He's been my entire life since the day he was born and it will take some getting used to the idea of having someone there as a second parent to him rather than just a babysitter."

"I can't just have no involvement in his life."

"No, that's not what I am saying. I trust you with him more than anyone and I know he loves you but your relationship with him is going to change."

"Hermione, I am ready for this. I just want to know for sure that you are, too."

"I am, I promise you that this is what I want." Hermione moved close to Ginny and wrapped her arms around the redhead's slender waist.

"I love you, Hermione, I really do but I mean…it did happen. No matter what you say, you thought about my brother even if it was for just a split second. How am I to know that it's not going to happen again?"

Hermione debated back and forth whether or not to bring up that Ginny had once made her feel the exact same way. She knew the situation wasn't quite the same but she didn't know how else to get the point across.

"You have to trust me. It's not going to be easy, trust me I know from experience, but you just have to."

"How could you possibly…"

"Think about it, Ginny."

"What?!" Ginny stood up. "First of all that was what like…almost nine years ago!"

"I know it was but I still felt the way you do right now!" Hermione stood up as well and tried to get Ginny to stop pacing.

"You think this is the same as me kissing Luna?"

"I know it isn't the same! I'm just saying that I know how you feel. I know what it is like to be devastated like that and how it feels to not know if you can trust someone."

Ginny's lower lip quivered. She couldn't hold it in anymore. She'd been holding it in for weeks now. It was too much and she had to let it out. She had to let it out or she was afraid it would consume her. Finally she dropped back down to the couch and started sobbing. "I just…I hate this feeling. I hate it so much! I want to know that I can come back here and you'll be waiting for me."

Hermione sat next to Ginny and held on to her and set her head on Ginny's shoulder. "I will _always_ wait for you," she whispered.

"I…I just wish that sometimes…I could make you physically feel how much I love you, Hermione," Ginny sobbed. "Because it's so overwhelming…so many emotions…I've been so scared…these passed two weeks…that I would come back here and you wouldn't want to go through with it."

"I'm so sorry I put you through that Ginny…" Hermione held her tighter. "I am not leaving you…I love you. I've loved you since I was sixteen years old and I will love you forever."

Ginny finally started calming down as Hermione rocked her back and forth and kissing her neck. The redhead embraced her lover.

"You okay, Gin?"

"I guess...how exactly did you get that Veritaserum?"

"I don't want to go there."

"You know you risked your job by nicking it, right?"

"I told you I'd do anything to prove to you that I love you."

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Ginny called out reluctantly.

"Hey…sorry to bother you guys," Harry said as he stepped in the room, "but there's someone here that wants to talk to you."

Both women looked at each other, confused.

"Who is it?" Ginny asked.

"Well…before I send him up I want to remind you that Luna and I have a rule that you can't kill anyone in this house unless we approve of it."

"If it's Ron then there are no promises," Hermione said. Ginny's face turned almost as red as her hair.

"Tell that bloody idiot if he thinks about coming up here it won't be pretty," Ginny added.

"He's here to apologize. He really is sorry, you guys. He came into my office the Monday after the party and he honestly looked worse than I've ever seen him," Harry pleaded.

"Fine," Ginny said sharply.

"Give me your wands." Harry held out his hand. Both girls stood and reluctantly handed them over.

"You know that I've been kicking his arse since the day I was born, right? I can still do it."

"Whatever. Cuts and bruises are easier to heal than the killing curse. I'll send him up." Harry left the room and they heard him head downstairs.

"Hermione I don't think I can do this without trying to kill him."

"Well I won't stop you."

They heard footsteps outside the door and there was a pause before the door opened again. Ron stepped inside and hung his head, he wouldn't look at either woman standing in front of him.

"H-hey…" he spoke cautiously. "Uh…listen…my behavior was um…really out of line." He finally looked up at Hermione. "'Mione…I'm so sorry. For everything. What I did…I'm just a git. I deserved the black eye and quite a bit more."

"You gave him a black eye?" Ginny looked at Hermione with an evil smile.

"Yeah…she did," Ron laughed a little. "Not even bruise removal paste got rid of it. Couldn't see right for about a week."

"She's nicer than I would've been."

"I know I deserved a lot worse. Gin…I'm so sorry. You're my sister and I should never have even gone near Hermione. And I won't ever again, I swear it. I just…I had a crush on her back in Hogwarts, you know? I've been jealous because…I've never had what you two have."

"You're not allowed to drink anything remotely alcoholic when you're near her again, Ron." Ginny pulled Hermione as close to her as she could.

"Deal. Anything else?"

The women looked at each other and shook their heads.

"Don't think so. At least not now," Hermione said.

"Alright well…I'll leave you two to um…yeah." Ron turned and left the room. Hermione and Ginny both fell back to the couch. Ginny leaned over and put her head on Hermione's shoulder.

"Harry will be shocked that he comes down in one piece," Hermione said with a laugh.

"I'm surprised he is still in one piece."

"I'm proud of you for controlling your temper."

"You're the one that gave him a black eye." Ginny smiled. "How did it feel? Not that I haven't given him one before but I've never had an outsider share in my glee."

Hermione laughed. "It was pretty satisfying, I have to admit."

Both girls laughed then Ginny let out a sigh. "Is this going to work, Hermione? Me and you?"

"What do you mean?"

"It just seems like when things can't get any better for us something always goes wrong."

"Well I think if we can just get married things will improve. It's the whole getting there thing that seems to be creating problems."

"Let's do it then, 'Mione." Ginny sat up straight and looked at Hermione. "Now. Before anything else has a chance to go wrong."

"Ginny we can't just get married right this instant, there's still a lot left to plan, you know?"

"Why not? Why not get married right now? We can do a quick thing as soon as possible, nothing formal, just make things legal. Then after Quidditch is done with we can do the big elaborate ceremony for our family and friends."

"Ginny, I wouldn't even know who to contact to make that possible."

"Someone at the Ministry, I am sure. "

"I…I don't know. We're not ready. I mean we are ready, you and I, but we have yet to even begin moving our things and…"

"Wait, what?" Ginny cut Hermione off.

"What? What did I say?"

"You said we have yet to move our things. _Our_ things. I thought I was just moving in with you."

"Oh…well…" Hermione stumbled over her words. "Yes, that's what I meant. Depending on how many things you have to move in…I…I will have to move my things."

"Why is it that for some reason I don't really believe you?" Ginny smiled and put her hand on Hermione's blushing cheek.

"I'd really prefer it if you did believe me for the time being."

"Come on 'Mione, please?" Ginny pushed Hermione's hair away from her neck and started kissing it.

"No…no…I can't. Not yet." Hermione gasped when Ginny gently bit her neck. Ginny straddled Hermione and ran her hands up Hermione's shirt. She was interrupted by another knock on the door.

"Think if we ignore it they'll go away?" Ginny continued kissing Hermione's neck. Before Hermione had a chance to respond there was another knock followed by Harry's voice.

"Hermione, I think Lennox needs you. He keeps talking about using the loo!"

"Coming Harry!" Hermione shouted. She gave Ginny a quick kiss. "Sorry, love. We'll continue this discussion later though, promise." Hermione winked and Ginny laughed.


	5. Chapter 5

**-Chapter 5-**

Ginny went downstairs with Harry while Hermione took Lennox to the bathroom. Harry handed Ginny back hers and Hermione's wands.

"Harry, is Hermione planning something that I'm not supposed to know about?" Ginny asked as they headed down the stairs.

"I don't know."

"Has she been at all suspicious? Come on Harry, you must know something!"

"Nope, not a clue." The corners of his mouth twitched.

"You do know! Tell me what's going on!"

"You need to talk to Hermione about that."

"Ugh you're not going to help me out at all here, are you Harry?" Ginny punched him in the arm.

"No, and I think you're losing your touch, that didn't hurt nearly as bad as it usually does." Harry broke into a run down the rest of the stairs after he said that, Ginny close on his heels. He ran down the hall to the sitting room but stopped in the doorway. Ginny almost ran into him and he shoved her back against the wall in the hallway as his face turned red as he peered at the scene before him.

Luna was sitting on the couch, Albus on her lap and James sitting next to her. Ron was in one of the chairs and standing in the middle of the room were Draco Malfoy, Gregory Goyle, and three others Harry couldn't identify, wands drawn.

"Malfoy, Goyle, why the hell are you in my house? Who are those three?"

Ginny gasped then covered her mouth, praying Malfoy hadn't heard her.

"Don't kid me, Potter. You know damn good and well why we are here."

"I have nothing to do with your father going back to prison, Malfoy. He did it to himself. Almost every single thug we captured last month during those attacks has admitted that he was the one sending them out. Now…why don't you lot get out of here before this gets out of hand?"

Ginny saw Hermione coming down the stairs carrying Lennox and she caught her attention. Ginny moved swiftly and quietly to the staircase and up. She grabbed Hermione's hand and dragged her to the second floor, Harry's study.

"Keep quiet," Ginny hissed at Hermione when she opened her mouth to start asking questions. Ginny scribbled a note on some parchment and gave it to Harry's owl. "Go find Willow, she's in Diagon Alley. It's an emergency, go quick," Ginny said and let the owl go out the window. She took out her wand and lit a fire in the fireplace and took the clay pot of Floo powder off the mantle and handed it out to Hermione. "Go to the Burrow," Ginny said as she scribbled another note. "Give this to my father."

"Ginny, what the hell is going on down there?" Hermione whispered, clutching Lennox tight to her.

"Draco and Goyle are downstairs with three others holding Luna, the twins and Ron hostage. Something about all those attacks last month. Lucius is back in prison."

"What?!" Hermione shrieked. Ginny quickly sprang up and covered the witch's mouth.

"Go. The Burrow. Now," Ginny whispered.

"How will I know you're safe?" Hermione asked when Ginny moved her hand.

"I'll come find you, just stay at the Burrow. Go love, please." Ginny pushed Hermione towards the fireplace and handed over her wand. Hermione tossed in a handful of Floo powder, turned around and kissed Ginny.

"I love you, Ginny."

"I love you too. Now go!"

Hermione stepped into the fireplace and held Lennox close. "The Burrow!"

As soon as she was gone Ginny quietly made her way up to the third floor and rummaged around in the chest at the end of Luna and Harry's bed. She found Harry's Invisibility Cloak and wrapped it around herself. She ran down the stairs. As she hit the second floor landing a green flash caught her eye and Hermione stepped out of the fireplace in Harry's study. Ginny dropped the cloak.

"What the hell are you doing Hermione?!" she hissed.

"I gave your parents the nutshell version of what was going on then Flooed right back. Your dad is going to alert the Ministry." Hermione took Ginny's hand. "We're in this together. For better or for worse."

"I don't have time to argue so just get under the cloak."

The two crept down the stairs and to the doorway that lead to the sitting room. Harry was now sitting on the couch next to Luna with James on his lap. Vincent was unconscious and tied up in a corner. Draco kept his wand aimed at Luna. Goyle's was aimed at Ron and the one of the other three had his wand aimed at Harry. The other two watched out the window.

"How's about you and I make a deal, Potter? You get this problem taken care of and I won't destroy everything you love. Although you should be used to it by now, shouldn't you? A few more won't hurt." Draco looked at Luna. Something odd caught the corner of his eye at the doorway. "Someone else here, Potter?"

"No."

"What about that Weasley girl? Rumor has it she was staying here. Or what about that Mudblood slut? Heard she was hanging around and the two are disgracing the institution of marriage sometime soon."

Ginny's face turned so red it was almost purple. Hermione squeezed her arm.

"Fuck you, Malfoy!" Ron yelled. "You're the only disgrace around here!"

"Shut it, blood traitor!" Draco nodded at Goyle.

"_Crucio!_" a bright red streak shot out of Goyle's wand and Ron started screaming in pain. Ginny and Hermione simultaneously threw off the cloak and each cast stunning spells but Draco was expecting it. His shield charm bounced both spells away from him.

"_Stupefy!"_ he yelled, aiming his wand at Hermione. Ginny jumped in front of her and took the blow. She was knocked to the floor, unconscious. Draco aimed his wand back at Luna. Ron sat in the chair out of breath, clutching his chest.

"Thought so," he said with an evil smile. "Drop your wand Mudblood or Luna gets to join her parents."

"Don't do it Hermione," Luna said.

"If that's not enough motivation for you then I can make sure the Lovegoods get to meet their grandsons, too." Draco lowered his wand to Albus and smirked. The clatter of the slender piece of wood hitting the floor echoed through the sitting room. "Good. Sit." Draco motioned to the loveseat. Hermione looked at Ginny who was curled up on the floor.

"Draco, it doesn't matter what I can do at the Ministry. He can't get out this time. Shacklebolt won't let it happen no matter what I do. And if you let this go any further you're going to end up in the cell next to him." Harry tried to reason.

Draco turned quickly and aimed his wand at Hermione. "_Crucio!"_ Hermione started screaming. The cries were loud and painful enough to rouse Ginny, Ron shot up and tried to tackle Goyle but stopped when Draco looked at him.

"_AVADA…_" Draco started. Ron stopped and backed up to the chair. Goyle moved closer to Ron and kept his wand aimed at Ron's temple.

Hermione collapsed on the loveseat, tears streaming down her face. She looked over at Ginny who was sitting up.

"You're all pushing your luck, here." Draco looked over at Ginny. "Welcome back, little blood-traitor. Get your arse up next to your Mudblood…thing."

Ginny moved up to the loveseat and held Hermione in her arms.

"There is nothing he can do, Malfoy! Get over yourself!" Hermione screamed.

"Shut your mouth, Mudblood!" Draco nodded his head at one of the thugs by the window. The large man grabbed Ginny off the loveseat and wrapped an arm around her neck and kept his wand up to her temple.

"I'll teach you to backtalk me, filthy Mudblood. _Crucio!" _ Hermione's screams filled the room again. Ginny went weak at the knees and begged him to stop. Ron moved to try and stop Malfoy but the Goyle growled at him as a warning.

"Dammit Malfoy take it out on me! Please just stop! Leave her alone!" Ginny screamed. Malfoy looked at her and smiled, keeping his wand concentrated on a still screaming Hermione.

After what seemed like forever several loud cracks echoed through the room and streaks of color shot around. Hermione collapsed on the floor and Ginny got hit with another stunner. Harry covered Luna and the twins, Ron made his way to the doorway and picked up Ginny's wand and cast the counter spell at his sister. Ginny gasped for breath and Ron crawled to her and covered her as the Aurors continued battling.

At last Malfoy, Goyle, and the thugs were apprehended. One of the Aurors looked at Hermione and told the one of the others to contact St. Mungo's and get the Mediwizards. Ron helped Ginny up and she made her way to her fiancée. Hermione wasn't moving.

"For the love of Merlin will someone fucking help her?!" Ginny screamed at the Aurors who were getting ready to disapparate.

"Mediwizards will be here in a minute, Ginny," Harry said as he knelt down next to her. "Where are Lennox and Willow?"

"The Burrow. I used your owl and sent a note to Willow, she was in Diagon Alley. I told her to Floo to the Burrow then I made Hermione go there with Lennox but she came back…why the hell did she come back…" Ginny stroked Hermione's hair. She started to turn red and got up. She walked over and stood nose to nose with Draco.

"I wish the Dementors were still at Azkaban…you fucking deserve to get the Kiss."

"I'll be out of there in no time, Weasley. Enjoy your time with the Mudblood while you can," Draco hissed into Ginny's ear.

The Aurors disapparated and the Mediwizards arrived to take Hermione to St. Mungo's. Ginny went with them to get checked out. A Healer looked over Ginny and dismissed her. She immediately went to the room where Hermione was. Harry and Luna were there with the twins, waiting in the hallway. Ron had gone to the Burrow to tell his parents and Willow that everyone was okay.

"Ginny, how do we find her parents? Where do they live?" Harry asked as Ginny paced outside Hermione's door.

"I'd have to apparate, I'd have no idea how to get there by cab or anything."

"You should go now while the Healers are with her."

"I can't Harry, I should be here."

"You're the only one that knows where they live, you have to."

"Fine, fine. I'll be back as soon as possible. It'll take a while since we'll have to drive back but…" before Ginny could finish her sentence she saw a hospital attendant leading Hermione's parents down the corridor.

"Where is she? Where is Hermione? And where is Lennox? What happened? The wizard that came to us said something about an attack!" Mrs. Granger started firing off questions immediately.

"She's in there." Ginny motioned to the room. "Lennox is with my parents at the Burrow." Ginny put her hand over the small scar on her chest. "Hermione was…she…she was…"

"Hermione was tortured," Harry said bluntly.

"What? How…how did that happen?" Mrs. Granger sobbed as Harry told her about the events of the night.

A Healer stepped out of the room. "All right, Miss Granger is awake but rather disoriented and confused. A common side effect of the curse when it has been used for the period of time she endured it for. We've administered a Calming Draught and a Memory Potion."

"What? What are those?" Mr. Granger asked.

"Well when Hermione woke she was very panicked and agitated, the Calming Draught obviously made her calm. She also wasn't able to answer any simple questions, her memory had been altered a bit from the curse. The Memory Potions have started working already so that is a good sign. She is still a little bit confused but that should go away with more potion and some rest."

"She's gone through this before though. It…it wasn't this bad last time, was it Harry?"

"Gin…she wasn't under the curse as long last time. Bellatrix only used it in short bursts to keep Hermione conscious enough to be interrogated. It wasn't like this. Draco held on for at least three or four minutes with that last shot.

"When can we see her?" Ginny asked.

"Now if you'd like. Only two at a time though."

"You two go on ahead, I have more questions to ask," Mr. Granger nodded to his wife and Ginny. Mrs. Granger practically ran into the room and to Hermione's bed. Ginny walked in cautiously and stood back from the bed as Hermione hugged her mother. Hermione looked shocked to see Ginny.

"How are you feeling, 'Mione?"

Hermione didn't respond, she just looked at Ginny. Images flashed through her head; holding herself close to the redhead by a creek, a nervous yet passionate embrace in a cold bedroom with snow on the windowsill, dancing at a wedding, running through a stone corridor to a room where the doors appeared on the wall, looking through a doorway and feeling heartbroken…Yet she couldn't tell you the name of the stunning redhead before her or where they met or how old the woman was. Hermione only knew that there was something about this woman's presence that made her heart race and her lips ache for the redhead's to be touching them.

"Just…give me a minute…come here." Hermione kept her eyes on Ginny as if she was afraid to look away for fear that the witch wouldn't be there when she looked back.

Ginny sat down on the bed, facing Hermione. Ginny tried her best to hold back tears as Hermione looked inquisitively at her. Hermione cupped Ginny's face in her hands then ran her fingers through the fiery red hair. More images of this witch flashed through her mind; playing with Lennox, lying in a hospital bed with bandages on her head, standing up in front of a group of people looking at a box with two silver rings in it, and most vividly a mane of red hair standing in front of her then being knocked to the ground by a jet of red coming from someone's wand.

"I know you…I do…I have to know you. I wouldn't…I wouldn't feel like this if I didn't know you," Hermione held on to Ginny's head.

"Ginny is…" Mrs. Granger started to say.

"No," Ginny cut her off. "Let her think about it. Her brain needs to work."

"Ginny," Hermione repeated. "Ginny. Ginevra."

Ginny nodded. "You're right. Anything else?"

"Well…yes…but I don't want to describe it in front of my mother." Hermione blushed. Ginny smiled. Hermione pulled her left hand away from Ginny's face and looked at the ring on it. Ginny held out her hand showing the matching one.

"Listen, Hermione, you need some sleep. The Healers have said that with more potions and a good night's rest that you'll be all right," Ginny said. Hermione nodded.

"I'm sorry...Ginny. I-I don't know why I can't remember. I'll try, I promise."

Ginny forced a smile. "You just need some rest. You'll come back to me, I know you will." She grazed the back of her hand on Hermione's red cheek then stood up and left the room. Outside were Ron and her parents with Willow and Lennox. Willow hugged Ginny as soon as she came out of the room. Ginny took Lennox from her mother and held on to him.

"We can keep him tonight, Ginny," Mr. Granger held out his arms. Lennox buried his head in Ginny's shoulder.

"No, but thank you for offering. You and your wife can stay here with Hermione. I'll take Lennox back to Grimmauld Place with me for the night. He has plenty of things there."

Mr. Granger nodded and headed into Hermione's room. Ginny, Lennox, Willow, Ron and the Potters departed for Grimmauld Place. Molly and Arthur went back to the Burrow. When they arrived at Grimmauld Place Ron helped Harry put the sitting room back together. They all ate a late dinner in the dining room.

"Draco will get out of this, won't he, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"I'll try my best to make sure he doesn't but…yeah, he probably will. As much of a horrible person he is, he's also a brilliant wizard. Incredibly skilled at Occlumency. All he has to do is claim that he was under the _Imperius_ curse. You'll probably be called up as a witness if it goes trial though."

"Can't Shacklebolt override this though? I mean he is a former Order member so he knows what Malfoy is capable of, surely he can do something."

"It's up to a Wizengamot vote if it goes to trial, which I doubt it will. Even though a lot of the purebloods are in Azkaban because they were Death Eaters some of the families still have some influence as do the written laws. And by influence I mean they pay off or threaten whoever they need to. Narcissa will make sure Draco is taken care of."

"Those rat bastards give purebloods a bad name. Sometimes I'm ashamed to be one," Willow piped up.

"The Malfoy family is the worst of them in Britain," Ron said as he pushed his food around on his plate.

"Yeah, I know. My dad always went on and on about Lucius. He'd come over here for business trips and come back talking about how wonderful the Malfoys were. I'm pretty sure he wanted to arrange a marriage between Draco and my little sister at one point. He knew I wasn't submissive enough to marry into a Dark family."

"Sounds like a real charmer, your dad. Bet he hated every bloke you brought home," Ron said looking up at Willow. He smiled.

"If I'd been allowed near boys I am sure he would have hated them, yeah."

While Ron started flirting with Willow, Lennox tugged on Ginny's shirt. "Ginny, I sleepy. Where's Mama?"

"She's sick so you are going to stay here tonight with me, okay?"

Lennox yawned. "Okay. I stay here."

Ginny stood up and picked up Lennox from his chair. "I'm going to get him up to bed and try to get some sleep myself."

"We're probably going to head on up with the twins here in a minute," Harry said looking down at Albus who was asleep in his arms. "Ron, you're welcome to stay the night."

"Thanks mate, I think I will. I'm gonna stay down here though. I'll sleep in the sitting room."

Harry nodded. He called for Vincent and the elf came up from the kitchen and started clearing the table. Ginny took Lennox up to her room and got him into his nightclothes. She grabbed her copy of _The Tales of Beedle the Bard _and he snuggled up against her as she read to him _Babbity Rabbity and her Cackling Stump._ Willow came up a few minutes into the story and climbed into the second bed. Ginny didn't even bother getting up and changing her pajamas, she just set the book down and fell asleep.

* * *

I know, I know, I played the cliche amnesia card. I held out through two head injuries and saved it for this one though, you have to give me credit there! Hope y'all are enjoying it so far!


	6. Chapter 6

**-Chapter 6-**

Ginny awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of Hermione's screams echoing through her head. She gasped for air then looked over to Lennox who was still fast asleep then to the other bed where Willow's figure lay still. Ginny carefully got out of bed and lit the lamp by her bed. She locked her bedroom door before heading downstairs. She was headed to the door that led down to the kitchen when she noticed a faint orange glow coming from the door to the sitting room. She went in and saw Ron sitting in one of the chairs watching the dwindling fire.

"Hey big brother," Ginny said in almost a whisper as she walked towards the couch. "Can't sleep?" Ginny set the lamp on the coffee table and sat on the couch.

"I could if I wanted to but I'd rather look out. How about you?"

"I can't get Hermione out of my head. The only other time I heard something like that come from her was…"

"At Malfoy Manor." Ron grimaced.

"Yeah…I heard it in my sleep that time. That pendant charm thing…but this was nothing compared to that. Actually hearing it…fuck. I don't know what to do to get it out of my head."

"There might be some Calming Draught down in the kitchen."

"I need to be awake enough to make sure Lennox doesn't get up without me though. I think I'll just go down and make some warm milk. You want some?"

"No, thanks though. Make sure you come back in before you go to bed though so I know where you are."

"Will do." Ginny took the lamp down to the kitchen and started some milk simmering on the stove. Vincent came out of his small room when Ginny sat down at the table.

"You should let Vincent do that for you, Miss Weasley," the elf said as he looked at the pan on the stove.

"It's all right, thank you. And for the millionth time, you can call me Ginny."

"Is Master Potter upset with Vincent?" the elf asked as he straightened things up in the cupboards.

"No, why would he be?"

"Vincent did not protect his family or their friends. He should punish himself but Master Potter forbids it."

"You were unconscious and tied up; there was nothing you could do. Harry understands, he's not upset with you at all." Ginny stirred the milk and got a mug out of the cupboard. "You are a good house elf, Vincent. Harry and Luna have nothing but wonderful things to say about you."

"Thank you Ginny Weasley. Vincent appreciates your kindness."

"I'm done in here for now, you can have the rest of this warm milk if you like." Ginny set the pan back on the stove. "Have a good night, Vincent."

Ginny went back upstairs to the sitting room with Ron.

"This isn't over, is it?" Ginny asked Ron as she sipped her milk.

"I don't know. With Lucius looking at life in Azkaban it might be. However, if Draco gets out though then he'll probably just continue with whatever Lucius was planning. There...it is possible...for another war..."

"You-Know-Who can't come back again. Why try to build up the Death Eaters? What's the point?"

"Control. If pure-bloods can get control of the Ministry again then who the hell knows what can happen. I'm just glad that several of the original Death Eaters died in the war. I don't even want to think of what we would have to deal with if any of the Lestranges had survived. A bunch of sickos, that lot. I had to move a bunch of files right after I started working for the Ministry and looked through Bellatrix's husband and his brother's files. That Rabastan…I almost lost my lunch at some of the things he went his first round in Azkaban for. God those poor Muggle girls...I don't even...ugh." Ron shuddered.

"Sounds delightful," Ginny said. "Guess that means you and Harry will be working a lot."

"Yeah, it's going to be busy for a while. If we can keep a watch out for any suspicious activity and keep them all in Azkaban then things shouldn't escalate. But you know how things go with us, nothing is ever that simple."

"Why can't we just have normal quiet lives?" Ginny set down her empty mug. "It seems as though someone is always trying to kill us when we're all together."

"Dunno…just lucky I guess. We'll get through it though. At least this time no one has to go around looking for bloody horcruxes."

"Ugh, don't remind me." Ginny rolled her eyes. The room was silent aside from the crackling of the fire for a few minutes. "Hermione won't want Lennox around this, she told me so last year when we caught those thugs outside."

"You think she'll leave?"

"She'll want to."

"You going to go with her?"

"I…I don't know. Mum handled having all seven of us kids at home during the first war. Surely Hermione and I can handle Lennox."

"Surely." There was a silence for a while then Ron smiled. "That friend of yours, Willow…she uh…she seeing anyone?"

"That depends on why you want to know, Ronald."

"Well she's kinda cute. I liked talking to her at dinner." Ron continued smiling.

"So is this one of your conquests or do you really like her?"

"She's not like the girls I go after for a shag. She's really smart, you know? We talked about Quidditch and she talked about all the stuff she did in the states. I wasn't bored by any of it, either."

"As long as you are a gentleman then I have no problem if you want to keep talking to her. She saw a picture of you I had and she thinks you're cute."

"Thanks Gin. I promise, I'll be a perfect gentleman. You can kick my arse if I don't."

Ginny giggled and yawned. "I'm going to head back to bed. Try to get some sleep okay?"

"I will. Goodnight Gin."

Ginny made her way back up the stairs, she aimed her wand at the door. "_Alohomora,"_ she whispered. The door unlocked and Ginny stepped inside. The lamp illuminated the room and she smiled as she looked at the sleeping boy in her bed.

...............

Ginny took Lennox to St. Mungo's the next morning while Ron took Willow around Diagon Alley. At the hospital Hermione recognized Lennox immediately but was still having a bit of trouble with Ginny. Hermione's parents took Lennox up to the tea room for lunch. Ginny sat on the bed facing Hermione and held her hands.

"I had this memory of us come to me this morning. It was summer and we were younger…in a bedroom. It was small. We were sitting on the bed and talking. I was incredibly nervous. Then you wrapped your arms around me and wouldn't let me look away from you. You told me that you weren't going anywhere and it was just us…then you kissed me. It felt so amazing…I felt like I never wanted that moment to end."

Ginny smiled. "That was our first kiss."

"How did it make you feel? When we kissed?"

"Like I'd never felt before. My heart started racing. I felt over the moon that my lips were finally touching yours because I'd wanted it for so long. At the same time…I was so scared...I'd never been so scared. I was scared it would end, scared you'd change your mind about having feelings for me. You didn't though…and it was then that I knew I loved you."

"…_Love does wonderful things."_ The phrase echoed in Hermione's head. She slipped a hand around the back of Ginny's neck, pulled her in and kissed her. Ginny ran her fingers through Hermione's hair. Hermione pulled back and it felt like her head was swimming. Images poured through her head and it sounded like water was rushing passed her ears.

"Oh gods…Ginny…" Hermione pulled her in again and passionately kissed her.

"I knew you'd come back to me," Ginny whispered.

"Love does wonderful things," Hermione whispered back as a tear fell down her cheek. She slid one hand under Ginny's shirt.

"Uh, Hermione, we're in a hospital," Ginny said as she pulled away. "And your parents could come in any minute."

"I swear to you, the first couple of days we have free you and I are going to spend the entirety of it in a bed somewhere."

"I have no objections to that." Ginny smiled. She sat back up and held onto Hermione's hands.

"How was Lennox last night?"

"He missed you but he was good. I told him you were sick and he understood I think. Either that or he was just too tired to care. Bedtime went smoothly, he slept all night. He was excited when I told him we were going to come see you."

"When do you have to start up practice again?"

Ginny hadn't even though about that. For the first time in years Quidditch hadn't even crossed her mind when she thought about what she might have to do in the near future. She hadn't considered going back to the stadium. All she had in her mind were Hermione and Lennox.

"I…I don't know," Ginny said, sounding rather startled because of her revelation. "I honestly hadn't though about it. I…I just kind of planned to take care of you and Lennox."

Hermione ran her fingers through Ginny's hair. The redhead's eyes were staring off into space; she looked like she was miles away. She was snapped out of it by the warm feeling of Hermione's lips against hers.

"You're amazing, you know that?" Hermione said when their lips parted.

Ginny's mind raced as she peered into the brown eyes of her lover. She felt Hermione's fingers in her hair, she felt the hot breath escaping from the brunette's mouth pouring over her own lips, she felt a drop of salty water run down her cheek. She didn't want to go back to Quidditch. She didn't want to put on her uniform or get on a broom or chase around a ball.

"Marry me, Hermione," she said, almost in a whisper.

Hermione pulled away and looked at Ginny, puzzled. "We're getting married in September."

"I don't want to get married in September."

"Ginny you're not making any sense."

"Marry me now. Please Hermione…please," Ginny begged as tears streamed down her cheeks. She slid her fingers through Hermione's thick brown hair.

"I thought we talked about this already. There's too much to do. You've got to finish your Quidditch season and I have…things to work on."

"I don't want to play Quidditch anymore."

"Ginny, come on now. You love playing Quidditch, stop with that nonsense."

"I love _you_."

"And I love you. You know I'll be waiting for you at the end of the season, whenever that may be."

"I _don't_ know! No one _knows._" Ginny stood up and started pacing the floor. Hermione knew this wasn't good. She knew those weren't 'I don't trust you' phrases. Ginny knew something. Hermione tried her best to get out of bed to stop Ginny from wearing a track in the floor from pacing but her muscles wouldn't let her.

"What's wrong Ginny?"

"I just want to get married! Is that too much to ask?"

"Ginny we don't need some ceremony or a piece of paper for me to be yours. I am yours. I always have been. Please just calm down and tell me what is happening!"

Ginny paced and talked to herself. Most of it Hermione couldn't understand. The scared brunette tried harder and harder to stand up to console her murmuring fiancée. She caught a few words and phrases, something about "them" gaining control and taking her away. She didn't know where it came from but something inside of her allowed her to spring out of bed and she stood in front of Ginny and held her close. Ginny buried her head into Hermione's shoulder.

"Please, Ginny…tell me. I'll marry you right now, I'll do whatever you want, please just tell me what's wrong!" Hermione begged into Ginny's ear. She started feeling weak and pulled them both to sitting on the bed.

"Ron…Ron says this isn't going to stop. The Death Eaters…they're trying to rebuild. They want control. There could be another war. I want to marry you because I love you and because I don't know that there will _be_ a September for us to do so."

"Is he sure?"

"There were attacks last month, surely you knew that." Ginny played with the silver ring on her finger.

"I knew of them but I didn't know everything." Hermione put her hands on Ginny's.

"I know that we don't need a ceremony or a piece of paper saying we're in love…but I want it. I've wanted so long to be able to say you're my wife. Please Hermione, I am begging you." Ginny turned to Hermione and looked deep into her eyes. "Please."

Hermione took a deep breath. "No."

Ginny's look of longing turned into anger. "What?"

"September ninth."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Why?"

"I refuse to do something like this because of fear."

"I want this because I love you, Hermione."

"So you aren't afraid of anything? You're not afraid that I'll leave or that I'll be taken by Death Eaters or anything else? If you can look me in the eye and convincingly tell me that you want to get married only because you love me then I will do it. I will find someone to come in here _today_ and we will get married."

Ginny didn't speak.

"I thought so."

"Will you leave?" Ginny whispered.

"No."

Hermione's parents came back with Lennox and they spent the afternoon discussing wedding details. Ginny scribbled furiously on parchment while Hermione talked about flowers and colors. The redhead was shocked to learn that Hermione already had her dress when Ginny hadn't even considered what she was going to wear.

"So…is this casual attire?" Ginny joked.

"Not hardly Miss Weasley," Hermione said sternly. "You will not show up at our wedding in jeans and a Harpies t-shirt."

"Well what did you have in mind, _Miss_ Granger?"

"It's up to you but it will be appropriate. Dress or suit, doesn't matter to me."

"Really Hermione, it'd be easier if you picked it out. I honestly have no idea."

"No, I can't do that. I can't see you in your dress robes before the wedding, everyone knows that." Hermione flipped through a wedding magazine that her mother found in the tea room.

"What? Are you seriously going to make us spend the night apart and not see each other all day the day of and all that nonsense?"

"Yep. You'll stay at the Burrow."

"And you'll be where?"

"At the Lovegood House with Harry, Luna and the twins," Hermione lied. The house would be finished and she would be moved in by then. "Harry is certain the rebuild will be finished by then and so it works out perfectly."

Ginny let out a frustrated sigh. "I just hope the idiots that are going to build across the river can keep it down for one day if they aren't done with whatever is going on over there."

"Oh?" Hermione spoke, trying to pretend like she had no idea what was going on.

"Dad says that Amos Diggory sold that land to some family and they're going to build a house."

Hermione just smiled and continued looking through the magazine.

"I'm sure they'll be finished by the time the wedding comes around," Hermione said. "I heard Amos say at work it was a rather nice family that bought the place. He said they wanted to get away from the city, raise their kids somewhere quieter."

"Wish I could have bought it. Wouldn't that have been wonderful, 'Mione? Our kids growing up the same place I did…not that there's anything wrong with where you grew up, of course." Ginny smiled at her future in-laws.

"Maybe someday, love. In the mean time we'll keep our eyes open and see if something like that comes up."

"Have you two thought about your honeymoon at all?" Mrs. Granger asked.

Ginny smirked a bit. She'd thought about it but nothing further than the hotel room. "Not extensively, no. What do you think, 'Mione?"

"I think somewhere with a beach and palm trees would be fun."

"What about Mexico?" Hermione's father suggested. "I had a client who went to Cancun and even in winter he said the weather is spectacular."

"I thought that was a place for drunken American uni students to go for their holidays," Ginny said bluntly.

"They wouldn't be there in September," Hermione said. "They'll have started their term by then."

"I don't know. Willow talked about going there once before she came to England and it just doesn't seem like the kind of place I want to go whether or not they are there."

"What about Hawaii then?" Hermione's mother said. "We went there for a second honeymoon of sorts a few years ago, it's quite lovely. We did an all-inclusive package that allowed us to go all over the islands. Even with all of the traveling around it was very relaxing. There are spas and resorts all around."

"There's a Wizarding travel agency in Diagon Alley, I'll ask them."

"Oh…well Ginny…my husband and I were going to have it all planned as our wedding gift to the two of you."

Hermione looked up from the magazine in her lap. "Mum you don't have to do that. It's too much, really."

"Nonsense. You know that your father and I decided a long time ago that when you married," she cleared her throat almost disapprovingly, "no matter who it was," she glanced at Ginny, "that the honeymoon would be our gift to you."

"Mrs. Granger it really is too much," Ginny murmured. If stopping Quidditch wasn't enough to get her future mother-in-law to like her wasn't enough she wasn't sure what was.

"You two just decide where you want to go and we'll take care of the rest."

Both young women nodded at the elder Grangers. Lennox started getting restless and after a small argument with Hermione's mother Ginny took him back to Grimmauld Place for the night with the agreement that the Grangers would take him for the rest of the weekend.


	7. Chapter 7

**-Chapter 7-**

The next morning Ginny brought Lennox back to the hospital and after a couple of hours for Hermione to spend with him the Grangers took Lennox out to the zoo.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" Ginny asked as she pulled the blankets away from Hermione not leaving her much of a choice. "The Healers said you should work on getting up and moving around."

"Okay but you're going to have to hold on to me. I still feel pretty weak even with all the Strengthening Solution they've been pouring down my throat."

"Don't worry love, I won't let go of you."

Ginny helped Hermione swing her legs over the edge of the bed. Her hospital gown rode up a bit, revealing up to her thigh. Ginny smiled and brushed her fingers over the exposed skin.

"Watch it, Ginevra. Keep that up and I won't care if the whole building hears us, I'll have you right here."

Hermione wrapped her arms around Ginny's neck and Ginny put her arms around Hermione's waist and helped her to her feet.

"All right?" Ginny asked as Hermione struggled to stay upright. Ginny held her close.

"Uh huh, just a little light headed."

"Yeah, that happens. Okay, I'm going to take a step back and I want you to follow. Your right foot first."

Hermione nodded. Ginny took a step back, Hermione followed. She took another step and Hermione again followed. They moved slowly around the room, one step at a time.

They walked around for a few minutes before Hermione's muscles started to burn. "I need to sit down," she told Ginny.

"Just a few more steps to the bed, love. You can do it."

"No, Ginny, please."

"Okay. Hold on tight." Ginny bent down and slipped one arm under Hermione's knees, the other around her back and picked her up. The brunette let out a little scream, she didn't expect Ginny to actually carry her.

"I guess those Strengthening Solutions do more than I gave them credit for. They seemed to work well on you." Hermione smiled as Ginny carried her to the bed and carefully set her down.

"They take a while to really work but once they do their thing you know it," Ginny said as she fluffed up the pillows behind Hermione's back. "But you have to work with them. Most of the time when I was walking around the room I felt like I was going to die but I knew I had to work the muscles if I ever expected to make any sort of normal recovery. Plus, the workouts for Team England are brutal, running laps around the pitch, lifting weights…" Ginny walked over to the tray of potions and bottles of juice that was kept in the corner of Hermione's room.

"Oh, no, Ginny I-I don't need anything to drink right now," Hermione said, trying to get Ginny to turn back to her. Ginny looked at the plethora of bottles on the tray: Sleeping Draught, Dreamless Sleep Potion, Calming Draught, Strengthening Solution, and Draught of Peace.

"Merlin's beard, Hermione. How much of this are they making you take? I understand the Strengthening Solution but there's like four sleep and calming potions here."

"Yes, I haven't slept well."

"Hermione they don't give you all of this just because you're not sleeping." Ginny walked back over to the left side of Hermione's bed and sat up next to her. She wrapped an arm around the brunette's waist. "What's happening, love?"

"Nothing…I-I'm fine. Just restless sleep."

"Hermione, I'm not daft. I know when you are lying to me. I know when to call you out on it and I know when to leave it alone and let you plan whatever it is you're planning."

"Nightmares," Hermione mumbled.

"They're giving you all of that for nightmares?"

"They tried different combinations but none of them worked individually. Every time I woke up they tried something else. The only thing that has worked is all four of those at once."

"Why didn't you tell me about it sooner, Hermione?"

"They'll go away. You don't need to worry about it."

"How about I decide what I need to worry about?" Ginny wrapped her arms tighter around her fiancée. Hermione settled against Ginny and relaxed at the movement of her chest.

"Gin…will you stay with me tonight?"

"I wouldn't dare be anywhere else."

Hermione rolled over and draped a hand across Ginny's stomach. She started falling asleep but the moment her brain started drifting off images of Ginny fighting a cloaked figure in started storming through her mind. It was dark. They were in a forest somewhere. The redhead shot spells at the cloak but one cast of green light coming from the evil figure sent Ginny flying through the air. She felt something hold her back as she tried to run toward the lifeless figure, screaming.

Ginny held on to Hermione as she started twitching in her sleep, the redhead tried to wake her dreaming lover but to no avail. All Ginny could do was hold on to her as she sat up, eyes wide open, screaming Ginny's name. Ginny felt a sharp pain as Hermione's elbow caught her in the ribs. She didn't loosen her grip.

"Hermione, I'm here. I'm right here and no one can hurt you," Ginny spoke calmly into Hermione's ear. She held her even tighter. Hermione relaxed back into Ginny's arms and sobbed. "I'm here. No one can hurt you." Ginny repeated the mantra over and over. Hermione's hands explored Ginny's body, making sure she was really there and really breathing.

"It was you," Hermione whispered into Ginny's neck as she held on to the redhead.

"I'm fine love, I'm not going anywhere."

Hermione kissed Ginny's neck. Her fingertips found the bottom edge of Ginny's shirt and lifted it up.

"Hermione we're still in the hospital," Ginny moaned. Hermione grazed her teeth along the freckled skin of Ginny's neck.

"Just…one…touch…please," Hermione whispered between kisses on Ginny's neck as her hand ran up the soft, pale flesh of Ginny's stomach.

Ginny fumbled with the wand that was in her pocket. When she was finally able to pull it out she aimed it at the door and it shut with a loud bang. As soon as the door was shut Hermione stripped Ginny's t-shirt away from her pale, freckled torso. One hand reached around Ginny's back to release her luscious breasts from their confines.

"Hook is in the front…" Ginny gasped. Her fingernails dug into Hermione's shoulder as the brunette placed kisses down her chest. One of Hermione's hands undid the hook between Ginny's breasts. Her fingers slipped under the now loose cup. Ginny gasped as she felt her tender nipple being rolled between Hermione's fingers. She completely lost track of where Hermione's mouth was until she felt the warmth and wetness of it engulfing her other breast. Ginny let out a soft moan when a mixture of pain and pleasure shot through her body as Hermione's teeth gripped the small pink bud.

They heard the door to the room open and both women sat bolt upright, Ginny grabbed a sheet to cover herself just in time to see Ron and Willow step through the door then Ron slapped his hand over his eyes.

"Oh…bloody hell…" he said as he backed out of the door. "Um…just…let us know…decent."

The two women laughed as Ginny dressed herself. She called for Ron and Willow to come back in and Ron reluctantly poked his head in the door. Ginny was still sitting in Hermione's bed with her arms wrapped around Hermione. Ron motioned for Willow to sit in the chair by Hermione's bed while he stood.

"Sorry…bout that…just now." Ron turned red.

Ginny gave a little bit of an evil smile. "It's okay Ron, we weren't going to shag or anything."

"That's what you think," Hermione said. "If he hadn't come in I would've had you and you know it."

Ron turned bright red. "Okay…thank you for that Hermione. I don't really want to hear about anyone 'having' my sister, even if you are engaged."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Sheesh, Ron, it was just a joke. Maybe you need to get some."

Ron grumbled under his breath. Willow blushed. Ginny giggled.

"Oh, sorry you two. You didn't properly meet on Thursday. Hermione this is Willow, Willow this is my beautiful fiancée Hermione." Ginny looked at Hermione and smiled. Hermione extended her hand.

"I've heard a lot about you Hermione." Willow said as she shook Hermione's hand. "Good stuff though, don't worry. She told me your favorite book is _A History of Magic_. It's mine, too."

"So Gin, when's Quidditch starting up again?" Ron asked while Hermione and Willow chattered about books.

Ginny looked over at her fiancée. "I'm not going back. I'm done with it."

"What?!" Willow squealed.

Hermione sat upright out of Ginny's arms. "I don't think so, Ginny. You're going back and that's final."

"Who is going to take care of Lennox? You can barely walk around the room, I should be here for you. You took more than a month off of work for me, this is the least I could do for you."

"My parents can take care him, they've already said I would stay with them until I am back to normal."

"We're getting married, Hermione. And Lennox is as good as my son, I should be the one taking care of the two of you."

"Ginny we've got the match against France on Saturday, you can't just quit! We have no chance without you!" Willow looked as though she was about to cry.

"Gin we've got like a dozen people to look after Hermione and you can Floo back and forth," said Ron.

"I-I can't just leave you, 'Mione…"

"I'll be fine Ginny. I'll be back to normal in no time. I'm already feeling loads better than I was. We'll talk more about this later, okay?" Hermione kissed Ginny's cheek and then rested her head on Ginny's shoulder.

"Dad said there's a bunch of racket started going today on across the river from the Burrow. Some new family moving in."

Hermione clenched her jaw shut. It wasn't Ron's fault that he didn't know about what was going on but still she wished he would shut his mouth.

"So they started building?" Ginny asked.

"He…he went over there?" Hermione tried not to look like she cared too much.

"Yeah but the owners weren't there," Ron said

"I'm not sure it's his business to go over there."

"Sure it is 'Mione," Ron said as he sat down at the foot of the bed. "He wants to make sure the family isn't a bunch of complete nutters. Obviously they're Wizards since that's who is building the house so that's not too bad, better than Muggles. He'd never leave them alone!"

Hermione had to change the subject before she blurted out absolutely everything running through her head at that moment. "How's work, Ron?"

"It's uh…busy. Draco's first appearance in front of the council is coming up Monday. He'll just tell them he was under the _Imperius_ curse. They might use Veritaserum but it won't work on him, Bellatrix trained him in Occlumency. The only thing they will have is his word."

Hermione almost wished she had spilled out about the house rather than hear that answer.

"Bloody wonderful." Ginny rolled her eyes and held on to Hermione who had started to shake.

"My thoughts exactly," Ron mumbled.

"Healers say when you'll be able to go home Hermione?" Willow asked.

"A while yet. I have to get my strength back up before they'll let me go."

"You'll be up and about in no time, love. Just got to keep working those muscles." Ginny squeezed Hermione's arm and kissed her on the forehead.

"We better get going," Ron said, standing up. "I'm uh…I've got a dinner reservation for us." He looked at Willow and she blushed.

"Remember our discussion, Ron."

"Of course Gin, perfect gentleman." Ron held out an arm to Willow and she took it.

"See you later then, Ginny?" Willow asked.

"Of course Willow, I'll come by Grimmauld tomorrow for sure."

"A'ight. Feel better Hermione."

"Thank you, Willow."

Willow and Ron left just as Hermione's parents came in to let Lennox say goodnight to Hermione. After visiting hours were over a Healer came in to give Hermione her potions for the night.

"I don't want it," Hermione said as the Healer handed her a glass.

"Miss Granger, you know what happens when you don't take it."

"I can handle it," she said looking at Ginny.

"How about only two of them? That's a nice compromise." The Healer went back to the tray of potions and started mixing again.

"I think you should take them, love." Ginny ran her fingers through Hermione's hair. "Just to make sure, you know?"

Hermione reluctantly agreed and drank the new glass that was offered to her. She drank it down and grimaced at the slight bitterness.

"Would you like to have an attendant conjure you a chair, Miss Weasley?"

"I think I'll be all right, thanks."

The Healer left the room and the pair snuggled down into the bed, Hermione's back spooned against Ginny's stomach. In only a few moments Hermione was fast asleep.

Both women were suddenly awoken by the hospital room door being blown off its hinges. Ginny held Hermione close as a cloaked figure entered the room. It pulled off its hood and revealed himself to be Draco Malfoy.

"I told you to enjoy your time while it lasted, blood traitor!" he cackled and aimed his wand at Ginny. "_CRUCIO!_"

Ginny's screams filled the room.

"Leave her alone Malfoy! Leave her alone!" Hermione wailed.

"Don't worry Mudblood, you'll get yours when I'm done with her." Malfoy walked over to the bed and pulled Ginny up by her shirt. "What to do, what to do? You see Mudblood, I've grown rather tired of the _Cruciatus_ curse tonight what with already using it on the Potters but I'm not content with killing her just yet."

"Leave her alone Malfoy! Get away from her!"

"Don't fret your dirty little blood, Granger. I'll leave her alone…eventually." Malfoy pinned Ginny against the wall. He pulled Ginny's hands above her head, aimed his wand and muttered, "_Incarcerous"_. A rope bound her hands where they were and another mutter from Malfoy and they stuck to the wall.

"Don't you dare, Malfoy!" Hermione screamed.

"Jealous, Mudblood? Like I said, don't worry, you'll get yours."

"Help me Hermione! Please...please help me!" Ginny begged.

Hermione moved to get out of her bed but she couldn't. Her entire body was frozen as though it was being held by some invisible person. Hermione watched in horror as Draco dropped his wand to Ginny's waist. He looked at the brunette struggling to move.

"_Diffindo," _he whispered. Hermione looked away and the sound of fabric tearing echoed through the room.

"Look at her, Mudblood!" Malfoy yelled. "Look at her or I'll finish her off right now!"

Hermione slowly looked back up and she cried at the horror before her. Ginny's eyes were glistening with tears and Malfoy was pressed up against the redhead. Ginny struggled to break free of the bindings of her wrists but she could do nothing.

Hermione struggled even more, writhing, kicking, flailing, trying to get out of bed but she couldn't. She screamed and cried but Malfoy just looked at her and smirked. Ginny cried out for Hermione to help her but the brunette still couldn't move. After a loud grunt Malfoy shuddered and pulled away from Ginny and left her hanging on the wall, crying and begging for Hermione.

"Always knew she'd be a nice fuck."

Hermione continued struggling. Draco came towards her and aimed his wand at her. Everything started to go black and she heard the screams of her lover.

"Please Hermione! Please come back to me!"


	8. Chapter 8

**-Chapter 8-**

"Hermione! For the love of Merlin, Hermione wake up!" Ginny held on tight to Hermione who was violently thrashing in the bed. Two Healers came rushing in.

"We have to restrain her, Miss Weasley. Get back." A large dark skinned male Healer approached the bed.

"No! No! Just let me get her through this, please!" Ginny begged holding on even tighter to Hermione who was now screaming in addition to trying to break free from Ginny's arms.

"Get back or I will remove you from the room."

"You're not going to do that to her! I won't let you!" Ginny turned back to Hermione. The brunette was drenched with sweat and her fingernails clawed into Ginny's arms, breaking the skin. "Hermione," Ginny spoke calmly into her ear, "Hermione nothing can hurt you. Listen to me love. No one is going to hurt either of us."

It had no effect, Hermione continued struggling against Ginny's grip. Sharp pains shot through the redheads legs as Hermione kicked her.

"Step away from her Miss Weasley," the large healer said again.

"No!" Ginny's arms burned as blood ran down them and the salty sweat from Hermione's body dripped into the open wounds. She didn't dare let go though. "Please Hermione!" Ginny screamed, "Please come back to me!"

Hermione's body went limp in Ginny's arms. Ginny held her fiancée tight still.

"Ginny…" a small moan escaped from Hermione's lips.

"I'm here Hermione."

"I'm sorry I let him hurt you…"

"No one's hurt me, love."

Hermione buried her head into Ginny's shoulder and cried.

"You need to have those cleaned," one of the Healers said, motioning to Ginny's arms. The Healer was an older woman with grey hair. She looked over Ginny's wounds.

"Well then do it while I am sitting here because I am not letting go of her."

The large Healer left the room and came back with potions and bandages.

"Thank you Liam," the older Healer said as she took one of the bottles and some gauze.

Ginny winced at the burning as the woman Healer cleaned the gashes in her arms and wrapped them up.

"We need to get these bed sheets changed," she said when she was done. She looked Liam. "Go find Dria to draw Miss Granger a bath and help me."

"But Phoebe, hospital rules clearly state..."

"I know about the blasted rules, Liam. I am head of this floor and I will decide when a patient needs to be restrained. Miss Granger is awake now and needs nothing more than a bath. Go find Dria."

"Yes madam," the large man walked out of the room with his head hung.

"'Mione, look at me." Ginny tried to pull the sobbing brunette away from her shoulder. Hermione reluctantly sat up, her eyes were swollen and bloodshot. The attendant walked through the room and into the bathroom that was connected. Ginny heard the water start running. "We're going to get you into a bath, okay love?"

"D-don't leave m-me!" Hermione buried her face back into Ginny's shoulder.

"I'm not going to but I've got to get out of bed to get you to the bathroom, okay?"

Hermione nodded and Ginny stood up. She slipped one arm behind Hermione's back and the other under her knees. Hermione wrapped her arms around Ginny's neck and the redhead hoisted her off of the sweat and blood soaked sheets. Ginny carried Hermione to the bathroom where the attendant was just turning off the tap, steam rose from the tub. Ginny set Hermione down on the wooden chair next to the tub.

"Would you like some help, dear?" the attendant asked.

"No, thank you." Ginny started undoing the ties on the back of Hermione's gown.

"There's a clean gown there on the table. My name is Dria, I'll be just outside the door, call if you need anything." Dria left the room and closed the door behind her.

Ginny peeled the sweat soaked gown off of Hermione's shoulders and lifted her once more and into the tub of steaming water. Hermione pulled her knees up close to her chest. Ginny knelt down by the tub and grabbed the wooden pitcher from the floor and filled it with water.

"Tilt your head back love."

Ginny poured pitchers of warm water over Hermione's head.

"Did he do that to you?" Hermione asked as she reached for one of Ginny's bandaged arms.

"No, 'Mione," Ginny said softly. Ginny squeezed a large glob of shampoo into her hand and lathered it into Hermione's hair.

"I'm sorry I didn't protect you…" A tear fell from Hermione's cheek.

"It was just a nightmare baby. I promise you what whatever it was, it was just a nightmare. Whatever you saw Malfoy do to me didn't happen."

"If it was just a nightmare how come you know who it was?"

"You yelled for him to stop in your sleep."

"I couldn't move…I wanted to keep him from hurting you…"

"He didn't really hurt me, love. Tilt back again."

Hermione let the tears fall freely as the warm water washed over her face.

"Mind telling me what happened, 'Mione?" Ginny asked. She set the pitcher down and picked up a washcloth. Hermione was silent while Ginny scrubbed her back. "You don't want to talk about it, I take it?"

"He…hurt you."

"You mean like _Cruciatus?"_

"Yes…but…t-then h-he…hurt you."

"I don't get it, 'Mione."

"Please don't make me say it Ginny…I-I can't…"

"Oh…oh gods, Hermione!" Ginny dropped the washcloth as soon as she realized what Hermione meant and pulled Hermione's head to her chest.

"I-I tried to save you…I couldn't move…"

"Hermione look at me." Ginny pulled Hermione's chin up and looked into her bloodshot eyes. "It was a dream. I promise you he never touched me."

Hermione nodded. Ginny pulled her in and their lips touched.

"I'm glad you were here Gin…th-the first nights when the potions didn't work…they would just treat me like an animal…I'd wake up and be t-tied…they s-said it was for my own good."

"I wouldn't let them. They wanted to but I wouldn't let them."

Hermione pulled away and Ginny found the washcloth again. She ran the cloth over Hermione's chest and down one arm.

"Ginny…I-I know…I'm supposed to want you to go back to play Quidditch. I'm supposed to tell you that you have to go back and you can't let your team down. I'm not supposed to be selfish and tell you that I want you to stay with me…"

"We'll see how the rest of the weekend goes, how about that?"

Hermione settled her chin back on her knees. "Okay," she whispered.

Ginny got a towel from the cabinet.

"I'm gonna need your help here, 'Mione. Think you can stand?"

Hermione nodded. Ginny knelt down and Hermione wrapped her arms around Ginny's neck and Ginny wrapped an arm around Hermione's waist. Ginny lifted her then wrapped the towel around Hermione's shoulders and helped her to the chair. They were silent while Ginny dried Hermione's hair and then helped Hermione on with her clean gown.

"I want you to take all the potions before you go back to sleep," Ginny said as she tied the last tie on the back of Hermione's gown.

"But…I want to be strong."

"No. Hermione, I'm not going to let you put yourself through that because you want to try and look strong for me."

"I-I just…"

Ginny knelt down in front of Hermione and put one hand on the brunette's cheek. "Sweetheart, look at me. You don't have to try to stay strong for me. I've loved you at your best and I've loved you at your worst. You remember that one night in the common room, right before my O.W.L.s? You were studying and I got upset with you because we hadn't spent any time together. You finally admitted to me that you were scared because of the war. Do you remember?"

"I do."

"What I said then has just as much relevance now. You don't have to be strong all the time, you're only human."

Hermione nodded. "Okay…okay I'll take them. You're still going to stay though, right?"

"Of course, love. Let's get you back to bed. Can you walk?"

"I can try."

Hermione wrapped her arms around Ginny's neck and the redhead pulled Hermione up, standing. They stood still for a moment then one step at a time they made their way to Hermione's bed. Ginny helped Hermione into the bed, the crisp new sheets rustled as she settled in.

"Oh dear Miss Weasley!" Phoebe took Ginny's arms. "You weren't supposed to get the bandages wet. They'll need to be changed."

Ginny sat down on the edge of Hermione's bed. The brunette looked on as Phoebe removed the bandages from Ginny's arms. Hermione gasped when she saw the gashes.

"Ginny…did...did I…"

Ginny winced as the potion stung the open wounds. "You're trimming your nails before you go to sleep next time you decide not to take all the potions. That's all I have to say."

"I didn't even know I was doing it. I-I'm so sorry Ginny." Hermione hugged Ginny from behind and held her tight as the Healer re-wrapped Ginny's arms.

"Don't worry about it, they'll heal. I'll just tell everyone I was attacked by a dragon or something."

"Can I get you a new shirt, Miss Weasley?" Dria asked as she walked through from the bathroom with the towels. "Yours has blood on it."

Ginny looked down at the front of her shirt. Sure enough there was her blood on it in addition to it being slightly damp from holding on to Hermione.

"That'd be great, thanks."

There were puffs of smoke coming from the corner where Liam was busy mixing potions on the tray. Dria came back in the room with a white t-shirt that had a St. Mungo's logo in black on the front of it. Ginny pulled a curtain around Hermione's bed and stripped off her t-shirt. She looked at Hermione and the brunette smiled a little.

"You know you could just sleep like that, I wouldn't mind."

"Neither would I but I think whoever comes in first in the morning to see you might mind it a bit if we're still asleep," Ginny said as she pulled the clean shirt over her head. "Especially if it's your mother." She pulled the curtain back open and climbed into bed next to Hermione. Ginny held Hermione as she drank the glass of potion Liam gave her.

"Let's try this again, shall we?" Hermione said as she and Ginny nestled down in the bed.

"Just remember before you fall asleep, I'm here and I am not going to let anything hurt you." Ginny kissed Hermione's neck.

"I love you, Ginny."

"Love you too 'Mione, goodnight."


	9. Chapter 9

**-Chapter 9-**

The remainder of the night was uneventful. The women were awoken the next morning by Phoebe who administered Hermione her Strengthening Solutions. She walked around the room after breakfast with very little help from Ginny. Hermione's parents came in with Lennox followed by Ron and Willow.

"Hey guys," Ginny greeted her brother and friend. "You think we could go somewhere to talk for a bit?"

"Yeah sure, Gin," Ron said. "All right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just need to talk."

Ginny walked back over to Hermione.

"Hey love, I'm gonna take Ron and Willow up to the tea room for a bit, give you some time with your parents and Lennox. I'll be back in a little while, alright?"

"Y-you can stay if you want, it's all right."

"It will just be for a little while, 'Mione. I promise I'll be back in just a few minutes."

"Just go to the hallway then, you don't have to go all the way up to the tearoom."

"Hermione, it's okay. Your parents are here. If you need me then tell one of the Healers to page me."

Hermione nodded and Ginny left with Ron and Willow.

"She's uh…she's not doing too good, is she Gin?" Ron asked as they stepped into the lift. Ginny shook her head. "Thought so," Ron said, "no one needs that many sleep and calming potions if they're doin' all right."

"She's having a problem with nightmares, bad ones." Ginny looked at the bandages on her arms. "Last night was pretty rough."

Willow looked at Ginny's arms. "She did that to you?"

"She didn't know she was doing it. In her mind she was trying to fight against whatever was holding her back from getting to me."

The three stepped out of the lift and headed towards the tea room.

Ron shook his head. "She say what she was dreaming that made her do it?"

"She never actually gave me details but from what I gathered Malfoy was there. And he attacked me. Not just _Cruciatus_…but uh…I guess she dreamed he raped me and she couldn't stop it. It had to have been pretty vivid the way she was thrashing around."

"Bloody hell…"

"Holy shit…"

"Yeah. It took me a while to talk her out of it; she kept insisting it wasn't a dream and apologizing for not saving me."

They sat down at a table in the tea room and ordered tea and biscuits from the waitress.

"How long is this going to last?" Willow asked and grabbed a biscuit.

"I don't know."

"Are you coming back to the stadium with me?"

"I don't know, Willow. She asked me to stay last night. I think part of it might've been because she was scared but still today she's been really jumpy with me leaving her side."

"You could get special permission from the coaches to come back and forth, you know? I'm sure they'd allow it. You could just Floo from here to the stadium in the morning and back again every evening."

"I could…I have yet to talk to her about it though. Any new word on how Draco's appearance might go tomorrow, Ron?"

"His mother has been seen going around reportedly trying to buy off the council members. Don't know if it has worked on any of them yet though. I guess we'll find out."

"And what happens if he gets out of all of it? Do you take his wand or anything?"

"We just watch him as much as we can but you know as well as I do that keeping track of someone who is determined not to be found isn't easy."

"Wonderful."

"Ginny!" Willow exclaimed, scaring Ginny and Ron almost out of their seats. "Ginny, I just had a brilliant idea! I know how you can deal with Hermione not wanting you to leave."

"Okay, I'm open to anything."

"Your parents. The Burrow. The stadium is within apparating distance, it would be just perfect!"

"I-I don't know…Ron, what do you think?"

"Well they have said that they don't get to see Hermione and Lennox enough considering they'll be joining the family, you know? I think Mum might like it actually…she's restless not being able to take care of someone. Can't do any harm to ask."

"Ugh…Hermione's parents though. They won't like it. Her mum already doesn't like me going around playing Quidditch. That in combination with taking her daughter out to the middle of nowhere, I'm not sure how she'll react to that."

"Gin, that reminds me of something I've been meaning to ask you. What are her parents' first names?"

"You know Ron…I have no idea. I don't think anyone knows."

"Huh. Weird."

"Think we ought to head back down now?" Ginny asked, checking her watch. "I think Harry and Luna were planning on bringing the twins by and I don't want to miss them."

The three headed back to Hermione's room, Harry and Luna weren't there but Ginny and Ron were surprised to see their parents.

"Mum, Dad, what are you doing here?" Ginny hugged each of them.

"Visiting dear, of course! Willow dear, good to see you!" Molly smiled.

"Weird, we were just talking about you two," Ron said as he hugged Arthur.

"Oh?" Arthur said.

"Yeah, you think we could talk in the hallway?" Ginny nodded towards the door. She and her parents left the room and settled on a bench just outside of Hermione's door.

"Everything all right Ginny?" Molly asked as she put an arm around her daughter.

"For the most part. I…I have something I want to ask you to do for Hermione…and me to an extent."

"Anything dear, you know that."

"Hermione's asked me not to go back to playing Quidditch. I don't think it is her worrying about me being hurt so much as it is us being apart right now. I'm sure you noticed the plethora of sleep and calming potions that were in her room." Molly nodded. "She's been having some really violent nightmares as is evident by these." Ginny held out her bandaged arms. "She didn't know what she was doing but it was still really scary."

"And are you going to go back?" inquired Molly.

"At first I had no intention but that was right after the attack, I was still pretty shaken up. I have a commitment though and I would like to go back, yes. However, if Hermione asks me to stay again then I will stay. But I think I have an idea as to how I can convince her to let me go back, at least for the matches against France that will be here. But I need your help."

"Go on." Arthur looked at his daughter, puzzled.

"I want to try to convince the Healers to release her tomorrow."

"Ginny, they won't do that. If she is going to be staying with her parents then they won't want her to leave that quickly. They don't know how to care for someone who has magical damage like that."

"Exactly, Dad. But If Hermione agrees to it then would you take her and Lennox home to the Burrow? The Healers would have a much easier time releasing her if she were to go home with you. And if she were at the Burrow I would be able to apparate to her any time so I could continue with Quidditch."

"I don't see what the problem with that would be, do you Arthur?" Molly's face beamed with glee at the thought of having someone to take care of and a little one around the house.

"I think it's a rather good idea."

"Thank you so much!" Ginny stood and hugged her parents. They all smiled and headed back into Hermione's room. Ginny gave a smile and thumbs up to Ron and Willow who were standing hand in hand in one corner of the room.

"When are these Healers going to let you come home with us, Hermione?" Mrs. Granger flashed a disapproving look at Ginny as she settled down in the bed next to Hermione.

"I don't know, Mum. Soon I hope."

"It's nothing against your parents," Arthur spoke, "but I think the Healers would be more keen on letting you go sooner, Hermione, if you were to stay in a wizarding household. I don't doubt your parents' competence but the uh…the problem that you're currently dealing with goes far beyond non-magic care."

"I am perfectly capable of taking care of my daughter, Mr. Weasley," Mrs. Granger snapped.

Arthur ignored her. "Hermione, Molly and I would like to extend an invitation for you to recover at the Burrow."

"And bring Lennox along as well," Molly added.

"I-I would…"

Hermione's mother cut her off. "My daughter and grandson will be coming home with us."

"I believe this is Hermione's decision." Molly glared at Hermione's mother.

"And I believe you have no place in trying to take my daughter away from me."

"Would you like to continue this discussion outside, Mrs. Granger?" asked Molly as she glanced over to Hermione and Ginny, both dumbstruck.

The two older women went outside into the hallway but the might as well have been standing where they had been. Lennox tried to follow the two of them but Willow caught him just in time and she and Ron entertained him in the corner of the room.

"_Your daughter is twenty-six years old and has the brilliant mind to make her own decisions."_

"_Well obviously she has some trouble with making the right ones! Wanting to marry a naïve little girl who gallivants around the globe on a broomstick!"_

"Uh-oh…" Willow muttered.

"This isn't going to end well." Ron looked towards the door.

Ginny's jaw dropped slightly. Hermione held on to her.

"_Don't you dare speak ill of my daughter!" _Molly growled_. "She's giving all of that up for Hermione!"_

"_No one gives that all up for a woman with a three-year-old!"_

"_Are you trying to insinuate something?"_

Hermione's eyes widened. "Dad, get out there before she…"

"_You know damn good and well our family has money. Why else would that girl want anything to do with Hermione and her bas-… child?! Especially after what happened before they were to marry the first time!"_

There was a collective gasp from the room. All eyes turned to Hermione. A single tear fell down her cheek. Ginny tried to get out of the bed but Hermione held her back.

"_How dare you even think such a thing about Ginny?! And insulting your own daughter and her son along with it! I will not allow any of it! I will see to it that Hermione and Lennox come with my husband and me. She has done nothing to deserve that…that..._shit_ that you are spewing out of your mouth!"_

The yelling in the hallway continued but no one really listened to it. Ron and Arthur smiled. Ginny's jaw remained opened a bit.

"Sweetheart, she doesn't mean it. You know she doesn't," Hermione's father sat in the chair by her bed and held his daughter's hand. "She just doesn't want you to leave again…you know that. I-I don't think she took her med-…"

"She just damn near called my son a bastard child and you are sitting here defending her? I know what _her_ excuse is but what is yours?"

"You know I love you, Hermione."

"Molly defended me! I'm not even her flesh and blood and yet she defended me _and_ your grandson. Leave…just leave. Take _her_ and leave."

Hermione's father hung his head and went to take Lennox from Willow.

"Don't touch my son," Hermione snarled. Willow stepped back into the corner away from Hermione's father.

The hallway went quiet and Molly stepped back inside.

"I have never in my life!" Molly huffed. She walked over to Hermione's bed and sat down in the chair next to it.

"Mrs. Weasley…I-I don't even know what to say."

"Oh for the love of Merlin, Hermione, you're practically my daughter. Stop calling me that!"

Hermione nodded. "Thank you Molly…for everything."

"You're welcome, dear. Now, we should talk to a Healer about you being released tomorrow and coming home to the Burrow."

"I don't want to be a bother…"

"Nonsense! You and Lennox will be coming home with us. Arthur and I are going to go find Phoebe and inform her of our plans."

Molly and Arthur left the room. Willow moved to the chair by Hermione's bed with Lennox.

"Hermione, I don't mean to pry and you don't have to answer me but um…" the redhead in the chair looked at the floor, "that's not the first time you've heard that from your mother, is it?"

"No, it's not. She's just…she's never forgiven me for leaving. Then showing up pregnant, not even knowing who the father is…no mother really ever handles that well. A doctor said all of it triggered something in her brain and now she has bad highs and lows. She snaps sometimes but she's always good with Lennox…"

"Why didn't you tell me about this, 'Mione?" Ginny pulled Hermione in close and ran her fingers through the Hermione's thick hair.

"It's never gotten to the point where I thought it needed mentioning. That was the last time though…I can deal with her saying things like that to me but…not Molly. Not after everything your family did for me without having to."

"Mum won't let her get away with talking about you like that though, 'Mione," Ron said as he walked out of the corner he'd been semi-hiding in. "She'd rather have gnomes ravage her kitchen than have someone talk to one of her kids like that."

Hermione couldn't help but smile.

"I think Gin wanted to talk with you about something," Willow said, eyeing Ginny.

Hermione looked at her lover.

"Do you remember what you said last night…about not wanting me to leave?"

"I do." Hermione snuggled into Ginny's chest. "I know I shouldn't have said it…but it's how I feel. I'm just scared, Ginny. I don't want to wake up from one of those and not know if you're okay."

"I understand love, I really do. That's why I'm moving into the Burrow with you. And if you agree to it I am going to talk to the coaches about Apparating back and forth between the stadium and you so I can stay with you at night instead of the dormitory."

"Ginny…you don't have to…"

"I want to and I will. Besides, Mum won't be as hard on you to get up and move around as I will. I might make you come to practice with me a few times; you can run laps on the pitch with us." Ginny smiled.

"I can't think of anyone better to make you get your strength up," said Willow. "Gin's a great trainer."

Molly and Arthur returned with Phoebe.

"Miss Granger, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley tell me you wish to continue your recovery at their home in Ottery St. Catchpole."

"Yes, they've generously offered to help me out while I'm getting back up to normal."

"Well since this is the case then I don't see a problem in you being released first thing tomorrow morning. Of course we'll send along plenty of your Strengthening Solutions and sleeping potions, already mixed."

Molly nodded. "Is there anything else we need to do for her?" she asked.

"Just make sure she gets plenty of exercise, someone close by at night…"

"That won't be a problem," Ginny piped up.

"Good, very good. I'll get the paperwork ready for you to sign in the morning. Lunch should be up shortly."

Harry, Luna and the twins came in that afternoon and were delighted to hear the news of Hermione being released. Harry promised to look after Hermione's flat while she was at the Burrow and it was settled that Molly would stay with Hermione at St. Mungo's for the night so that Ginny could stay at Grimmauld Place with Lennox. Ginny owled the coaches to let them know she would be late arriving to practice the next day and that Willow was to take her place in getting team through morning workouts.


	10. Chapter 10

**-Chapter 10-**

The second that visiting hours started at St. Mungo's, Ginny arrived with Lennox along with all of their luggage to be taken to the Burrow. Harry took the day off work so he could drive Hermione's car to the Burrow so she wouldn't have to worry about getting through the Floo since she was still a bit weak.

When they arrived at the Burrow, Molly had a lunch spread ready for everyone. She had also spent the entire morning setting up Ginny's bedroom for Ginny and Hermione and Bill's old bedroom across the hall for Lennox. Hermione had decided that was the best sleeping arrangement since she wanted to try lessening the dosage of her sleeping potions once she started feeling better.

After lunch Ginny apparated to the stadium, Harry went to check on the progress of the Lovegood house and outbuildings then came back and Flooed back to Grimmauld Place; and Molly kept Hermione busy by teaching her how to quilt and they listened to Molly's favorite dramatic program on the Wireless. Hermione confided in Molly about having bought the land from Amos Diggory and that she was the one having the house built across the river. The young brunette had never seen Molly so happy and animated. The plump woman squealed with delight and immediately went to her bookshelf and came back with armloads of books about household spells and charms.

"These books were given to me by my mother and I wasn't sure with your talk of living in a Muggle flat that they would be of any use you and Ginny right away but oh Hermione! Oh this is so wonderful! It will be such a delight to have you so close! And with Harry and Luna rebuilding the Lovegood house it will be so easy to have everyone over for dinners! This is just wonderful!"

Molly hardly spoke of anything else for the rest of the afternoon and in to the evening. Hermione told her all about the designs she had drawn and the gardens she wanted to plant. It wasn't until Ginny Apparated in that Molly ceased talking about how excited she was.

A few minutes after five o'clock Arthur Flooed in followed by a bright faced Ron.

"He's still in Azkaban!" was the first thing that came out of Ron's mouth when he stepped out of the chimney. "The council was split right down the middle at the hearing but one of them changed his vote to have Draco stay in prison and get a formal trial!"

"Oh gods, Ron, are you serious!?" Ginny jumped up from the kitchen table and ran to hug her brother.

"Serious as can be. Trial is scheduled for three weeks from today. You'll uh…you'll both be getting orders to appear as witnesses."

"Fine. Whatever it takes to get him in a cell next to his father for eternity," Ginny said. Hermione nodded in agreement.

The first five days were uneventful. Every morning Ginny would walk Hermione down the staircase to breakfast then apparate to the stadium. She would come back for lunch and a walk with Hermione and Lennox around the outside of the Burrow. Ginny would come back in the evenings and after dinner another walk would be shared by just the two young women while Molly and Arthur cooed over their future grandson. Hermione slowly decreased the amount of her potion each night and so far all was well. She slept peacefully in the arms of her fiancée who would wake at every twitch, even if it was her own, and settle right back into sleep as soon as she knew her love was safe.

Saturday morning came bright and early. Ginny didn't have to be at the stadium until mid day, when the much anticipated match between England and France would take place. Luna and Harry Flooed to the Burrow with the twins, the rest of the Weasley children aside from Charlie (he had just been put in charge of a baby Hungarian Horntail and couldn't make it that weekend), and grandchildren soon followed. Arthur, Bill, Percy, Ron, Harry, George, and Angelina were excited because Ginny had reserved an entire box for her family and the seven of them would be in prime seats to watch the match. Fleur stated that she simply had no interest in the sport and Luna and Audrey wanted to have some time with the other women and to help with all of the children therefore none of them minded not going along with their husbands.

Ginny excused herself to her bedroom an hour before she was due at the stadium. She sat at her desk and looked over the Team England playbook although she didn't actually pay attention to the words and formations that were animated on the pages. She already had them memorized, having written several of them herself.

"Do I really want to do this?" she said out loud to herself. "It's just nerves…I know it is. I have them before every match. Ugh…What if I take another Bludger to the head…no, no that won't happen. Not with Heddwyn and Phil up there. I have to focus…just focus on the Quaffle. She's here, she's safe. Maybe I should charm the house…"

"You know love, talking to yourself like that someone will think you've gone mad."

Ginny jumped up out of her chair. Hermione was standing in the doorway with a sly smile creeping across her face.

"Merlin, Hermione!" Ginny shrieked. "I'm proud of you for being able to climb up the stairs on your own and all but I'm sure your arms are strong enough that you could've knocked!" Hermione laughed as Ginny slumped down onto her bed, her hand over her chest. "Is everything all right?"

"Everything's fine, Gin. I just wanted to come up her and wish you a bit of luck, that's all." Hermione closed the bedroom door, aimed her wand at it silently casting the _Imperturbable _charm, and walked to the bed and sat down next to Ginny. "You know," she purred into the redhead's ear, "I hear you at night when you dream, moaning for me to touch you." Her lips found the Ginny's neck.

"Uh…it's just that…it's been a while…" Ginny fumbled with her words as Hermione's lips grazed her neck.

"Been a while since what, Ginevra?" Hermione teased. "Tell me what you dream about, baby. Tell me what you want." Hermione pushed Ginny back on the bed. She nibbled on Ginny's earlobe.

"I-I want you…t-to touch me." Ginny trembled as Hermione's hand worked its way under her shirt and to her abs.

"Where, love?"

Ginny groaned. "I don't have t-time for this…"

"Oh I think you do. Tell me what you dream about."

Ginny pulled Hermione's face up towards her own and looked fiercely into those chocolate brown eyes.

"I dream about your face, the look you get when you hear me scream your name while you make love to me to the point that I am in a state of pure ecstasy. I dream about the feeling of your fingers inside of me, my hips thrusting with your every move. Your tongue pushing into every spot on my body that sends me over the edge, coming until I think I can't anymore and then somehow, your magical touch sends another wave of pleasure through me that nothing in this world can ever replicate."

Ginny smirked and Hermione lunged forward. Hermione's tongue forced its way passed Ginny's lips. Her hands hurriedly undid Ginny's jeans and one of them found its way to the warm folds. Hermione didn't waste any time, her fingers quickly pushed into Ginny's dripping wet slit and the redhead screamed Hermione's name. Her hips moved with the motion of Hermione's fingers, she moaned and screamed the brunette's name with nearly every thrust. She felt the orgasm build quickly. She held on to Hermione as tight as she could, her heart nearly burst through her chest. Hermione thrust her fingers in as deep as she could, she felt Ginny's slit tighten around them, pulsating, holding on. Ginny's entire body shook, she screamed her lover's name and her toes curled, her legs stiffened, her heart raced. The waves of pleasure shot through her like bullets. With one last thrust and one last yell both women relaxed into the bed.

"Good as the dreams, baby?" Hermione smiled and nibbled on Ginny's ear.

"Better…" Ginny gasped. "So…much…fucking…better."

"Good luck today, Gin."


	11. Chapter 11

**-Chapter 11-**

"_Welcome to the first game of England versus France! The teams are circling the stadium waiting for the match to begin. It looks like our starters for Team England today are Captain Ginny Weasley leading the Chasers along with Aislin Kelly and Vaughn Shaw, Beaters Heddwyn Reilly and Phil Harris, Keeper Trance Ellis, and Seeker Willow Rose who is playing for the first time in her National career. Rose was a reserve Seeker for England four years ago but never saw any playing time. The coaches and Captain Weasley have chosen Rose to replace an ill Jacob Davis who came down with mumblemumps this passed week."_

The Wireless was turned up and the announcer's voice echoed through the Burrow. Hermione listened intently while keeping one eye on Lennox who was playing with Victoire, Dominique, Molly, Albus, and James in one corner of the sitting room. During a commercial break Hermione talked about the house and land, Fleur was especially excited.

"I love looking at ze house magazines! I help you with all ze latest fashions and decorations!"

"Thank you, Fleur, that's very kind of you."

"So Hermione, will you and Ginny be having more kids after you get married?" Audrey asked.

"Most definitely. I've designed three bedrooms in addition to the master suite to be built on the top floor of the house. I can't wait for it all to come together, it's so exciting."

"_And the Quaffle is up!"_

The room went silent as the women listened to the fast paced commentating on the Wireless.

"_Weasley takes possession, tosses to Kelly, back to Weasley, over to Shaw who narrowly avoids a Bludger sent his way by Roux. Shaw scores for England! Quaffle is back up, France takes possession, Laurent passes Simon who flies through Weasley and Shaw, Simon passes to Dubois who takes a shot and it's blocked by Ellis! What a move by Ellis, the Quaffle bounced off the tail of his broom, and Weasley has the rebound! Weasley dips down almost touching the pitch, she passes up to Shaw, Shaw flies up between Simon and Dubois, tosses to Weasley who came up out of nowhere and she shoots at France's goal and it's blocked by Moreau but Weasley races to get the rebound, takes another shot and it's good! England up twenty to zero!"_

Hermione squealed, Fleur looked slightly disappointed but managed to look like she wasn't interested just a second later.

"Oh that's my girl!" Molly clapped her hands.

The afternoon flew by and the match got more exciting every minute.

"_It's two hours into England versus France here in England. The score is now England at one hundred thirty points and France at seventy points. What…what's this?! Both Seekers are now racing around the stadium! Lefebvre has his arm outstretched just ahead of Rose! Rose moves forward, they're neck and neck! Lefebvre takes a swipe and…France catches the Golden Snitch! France comes from behind to win this first match with England! Willow Rose is not happy with herself right now, as is evident by her throwing her broomstick against the stadium wall. She is now being comforted by Captain Weasley. Team England is walking out of the stadium now. What a disappointment for England who won in their first two matches of the season against Peru. I'm throwing it down to our correspondent now. Fox, you there?" _

"_I'm here and I have caught up with Captain Weasley! Captain, big disappointment just now. How are you feeling?"_

"_It was a disappointment but I'm feeling pretty good still. It's best two out of three so we still have the chance to come back. I'm really proud of Willow, she flew excellently today and she'll definitely be playing again next week."_

"_Will you be changing anything in this weeks practice to help out for next week?"_

"_Probably not much. I don't want to give away too many of our secrets but we have a good regimen, well balanced with practice and workouts."_

"_Sources tell me you're not staying with the team at night, what's that all about?"_

"_Fox, how many times do I have to tell you that this isn't a gossip show?"_

"_Oh come on Captain, this is definitely relevant to Quidditch!"_

"_No, it really isn't. Where I sleep is none of your business."_

"_Wanna go out to dinner with me?"_

Hermione nearly choked on her tea.

"_I'm engaged, Fox. Isn't this supposed to be about Quidditch?"_

"_Well yeah but I had to get something not Quidditch related out of you. Wanna talk about your lucky fiancée?"_

"_You really should have your own talk show, you know that?"_

"_If I did would you come talk about something not involving broomsticks and Quaffles?"_

"_Sure, Fox."_

Hermione laughed at the sarcasm dripping from Ginny's voice. She shook her head and smiled. "I guess I should go ahead and put the wedding announcement in _The Daily Prophet_ because I know if I don't everyone is going to be clawing at Ginny to try and get an answer out of her. We wanted to wait for a while but it's really no use now."

"Bloody hell that was close!" Ron said as the group came in the kitchen door from the yard.

"It was." Harry shook his head. "I'm surprised you're not throwing stuff though, you're never this calm after your team loses."

"Yeah well you know…Willow did her best and all."

"Oy Ron!" George smacked Ron on the back. "You're in love with the Seeker!"

"Hush it George! We're barely even dating!"

"So it's true?" Bill smirked.

"Yeah yeah, it's true. I really like her though, you know?"

All of them clamored into the sitting room and found a place to sit. Everyone went on about the match. There was a loud crack just outside the kitchen door and Hermione shoved her way through the crowd. She nearly tackled Ginny as she stepped into the kitchen.

"Sounds like you played great out there, Gin."

"I did my best. I'm gonna go upstairs and shower though, ours were packed and I didn't want to have to wait."

Hermione let an evil grin slide across her face.

"Mind if I join you?"

"You realize there's a house full of people that will know exactly what we're up to, right?"

"They knew what we were up to when I was here for summers and that never stopped us."

The two women thundered up the stairs. Ginny stopped in her bedroom to get clothes and Hermione continued up the stairs to the bathroom. She turned the shower on and steam filled the room. She stripped down and stepped into the shower and let the hot water cascade over her head and shoulders. She heard the door creak open and then shut. Hermione smiled as she heard Ginny's clothes hit the floor. She turned around as Ginny stepped in the shower. Hermione admired the body before her eyes.

Water cascaded over the two bodies. Hermione turned Ginny around to face the streams of water and ran her fingers through the mane of fiery red hair. She found a washcloth and lathered it thick with soap and ran it over Ginny's back and down her arse. She reached around and ran the washcloth over Ginny's abs then dropped it just as she got to the redhead's pale, luscious breasts. Hermione slipped both hands around Ginny's chest and cupped one breast in each hand. Ginny moaned at Hermione's touch. While one hand fondled Ginny's breasts, Hermione's other hand traveled down Ginny's slippery stomach and slipped between the redhead's legs.

Ginny moaned as Hermione's fingers fondled her swollen clit. She writhed against Hermione's body and reached her hands up around the back of her head. Her hands found Hermione's hair and ran her fingers into it. She pulled at the mess of brown hair when she felt Hermione's fingers slip inside of her. Hermione felt Ginny tighten around her fingers and pulled them out. Ginny whimpered. Hermione spun the redhead around and pinned her against the shower wall. She dropped to her knees and lifted one of Ginny's legs over her shoulder.

Hermione's tongue was quick; it darted in and out of Ginny's wet slit while her fingers slipped around and over her clit. Ginny's screams of pleasure echoed in the small room as she came, her juices mixed with the water and flowed into Hermione's mouth. She held herself up against the shower wall as Hermione rejoined her at eye level.

Ginny smiled as Hermione's lips again touched her own. Just as her hands were roaming up Hermione's slippery stomach there was a knock on the door.

Ron's voice came from the other side, "Hey, you two drown in there? Mum is starting dinner and wants to know if Ginny wants anything special."

"Hold those lips, love." Ginny stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself. She opened the door and poked her head out. "For the love of Merlin, Ron!" she hissed. "Would you leave us alone so I can shag my fiancée in peace?!"

Hermione's laughter echoed from the shower.

Ron turned bright red. "You guys are worse than rabbits, I swear."

"Tell Mum we'll be down in a little while and anything she wants to cook is just fine as long as it's nothing that Fleur suggests." Ginny slammed the door and locked it again. She dropped the towel and hopped back into the shower. "Now, where were we?"

Hermione guided Ginny's hands up to her chest. "Right about here…"

Ginny's lips found Hermione's neck and she sank her teeth hard into the skin.

"Fuck…Gin…gods…" Hermione gasped.

"Did that hurt?"

"Yes…no…fuck! Just do it again!"

Ginny obliged and her teeth again sank into Hermione's neck. Hermione moaned in a mixture of pain and pleasure. Ginny's hand moved from Hermione's breast and between the brunette's legs. Hermione braced herself against the shower wall and whimpered as Ginny's fingers teased her slit.

"Is there a problem, love?" Ginny giggled into Hermione's ear and teased her just as Hermione had done to her earlier that day. Hermione could only whimper and dig her nails into Ginny's back. "What do you want me to do?"

"Fuck me," Hermione growled into Ginny's ear.

Ginny thrust her fingers deep into her lover. Ginny's name echoed around the bathroom as Hermione screamed it. Ginny thrust her fingers so deep into Hermione's slit that she swore she was almost lifting the woman off the floor. In between her screams Hermione was growling and moaning into Ginny's ear. Ginny had never heard such dirty things come out of her fiancée's mouth but she liked it. Ginny slowly worked her lips down Hermione's dripping wet body. She took one nipple into her mouth and the other rolled between the fingers of her unoccupied hand.

Ginny's mouth trailed down Hermione's stomach, her fingers still thrusting, and finally she was on her knees and eye level with Hermione's hips. As Hermione had done to her, Ginny lifted one of those long legs over her shoulder. Her mouth latched on to Hermione's inner thigh and teeth once again met flesh. Hermione howled and her hands gripped handfuls of Ginny's wet hair.

"Fuck yes, Ginny! Oh gods!"

Ginny smiled and her mouth moved to Hermione's clit. She flicked it with her tongue and continued pushing her fingers deep inside her lover. Hermione's slit tightened around Ginny's fingers and the redhead sucked on the swollen bud as Hermione moaned and screamed Ginny's name. Her body shook and she went weak, almost falling to the floor with Ginny. The redhead held her up as she stood.

"I never knew you liked being bit that hard." Ginny giggled as she pushed Hermione's wet hair out of her face.

"Neither did I until you did that."

"I'll have to remember to do it more often, won't I?"

A large bruise was appearing on Hermione's neck by the time the women finished their shower. She did her best to cover it with concealer but the skin was still purple. George made it a point several times during dinner to playfully make vampire references in their direction. Molly quietly slipped Hermione a small jar of Bruise-Healing Paste after dinner and giggled when Hermione blushed and thanked her.

* * *

You remember in the first installment when I skipped the perfect opportunity for a hot shower scene? This is why. Hope it was worth the wait ;-)


	12. Chapter 12

**-Chapter 12-**

In Monday's _Daily Prophet_ appeared an announcement that fueled Rita Skeeter with gossip for columns enough for the entire rest of the week:

"_Hermione Jean Granger and Ginevra Molly Weasley, both former students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, officially announce their engagement to be married. Miss Granger, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Granger of London, is an employee at the Ministry of Magic in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures in addition to the mother of her son, Lennox Wulfric Granger. Miss Weasley, daughter of Arthur and Molly Weasley of Ottery St. Catchpole, is currently a professional Quidditch player for England's national team and will soon be taking over as head of the Quidditch reporting department for _The Daily Prophet. _The pair is planning a (long awaited) fall wedding to take place later this year."_

Hermione reluctantly sent a copy of the announcement to her parents. She wasn't entirely shocked when her owl came back with nothing in return.

Friday night Molly made sure to invite the Potters and Ron to dinner so the group could continue their tradition of dinner together. Ginny invited Willow but didn't tell Ron. His face lit up when he saw her. After dinner Molly and Arthur insisted that all three children stay with them while the young couples went outside for a moonlit stroll. Hermione and Ginny made their way through the thin patch of forest to the big tree they spent so many mornings under down by the river. Ginny had Hermione pinned against the big tree and Hermione's hands were running up Ginny's stomach when they heard Arthur's voice echo through the woods calling everyone to come up to the house.

Ginny and Hermione tore through the woods and nearly ran into Willow and Ron on the way.

"What do you suppose this is about?" Ron asked as they ran up to the house.

"I don't know but I didn't like the tone of Dad's voice."

"What…happened," Ginny gasped as they got to the kitchen door. Harry and Luna were already there.

"Go in, all of you," Arthur said. Molly stood in the kitchen with all three kids at the kitchen table playing with kitchen implements.

"The sitting room," Molly said as she sat down at the kitchen table with the three young children.

The six walked into the sitting room. Hermione had an arm around Ginny's shoulders, holding herself up. Her muscles were burning from the run. There was a tall female figure with her back turned standing in the middle of the room. Blonde hair cascaded down her back, a serpent design on the sleeve of the cloak tipped Ginny off immediately.

"Narcissa?" Ginny gasped.

"I only want to talk." Narcissa turned around and motioned for them to come into the room. "Sit down." Ginny sat between Hermione and Willow on one couch, Ron in a chair to their left and Harry and Luna sat in a loveseat across from the couch.

"What do you want Narcissa?" Ron hissed.

"I don't want to hurt anyone Ron. I just want my son."

"We can't do that and you know it," Harry said. "Draco is on his own with this one. Even if Ron and I could do something we wouldn't."

"He just wanted his father out of trouble, surely you can try to understand that."

"I don't care what he wants. He threatened my best friend with murdering his wife and sons and then he tortured my other best friend to near madness!" Ron growled and looked at Hermione who was now curled up almost in a ball nearly on top of Ginny. "Why would you even think for one minute we'd help him if we could?"

"You helped him in the Battle of Hogwarts, surely you can find it in your heart to help him now."

"By that logic he is the one that owes Harry, Hermione and me."

"And if he does get out he is just going to come after us again," Ginny scowled. She held Hermione tight.

"I assure you that no such thing will happen. Draco will be under my constant supervision."

"Oh _that's_ a load off my mind. The wife and mother of two of the vilest men on Earth who would do anything for them…"

"Shut it, Ginny." Ron snapped his neck to her.

"No!" Ginny stood up and walked over to Narcissa. "Do you know what your beloved son did to my fiancée? Do you?!"

"I do."

"No, no you don't. You don't have a fucking _clue_. Yeah, you may know that he used the _Cruciatus_ curse but you have no idea what it has done to her. I sleep next to her every night, waking up at every twitch and every noise that she makes because of the _horror_ that comes to her in her dreams. Do you have any idea what that is like? For the both of us?"

Willow moved over and wrapped an arm around Hermione's shoulder and held on to the shaking brunette.

Narcissa turned to Hermione. "Hermione I am deeply sorry for Draco's actions. This was of no fault of his own though, you must know."

"I don't give a damn," Hermione cried. "You have _no idea_ what he did to me. The images that are burned into my mind because of the nightmares…they haunt me. Your bloody son isn't a little boy anymore. He deserves to rot in Azkaban next to his father."

Narcissa took a step towards Hermione, Ginny darted between them.

"I swear on the grave of Albus Dumbledore," Ginny scowled, "if you or any member of your family _ever_ comes near my fiancée or anyone I care about _ever_ again they will have to go through me first." Ginny narrowed her eyes. "And I am not afraid of what the consequence is of using the killing curse."

Narcissa clenched her jaw and stepped back from the fierce redhead. Ginny didn't blink. She didn't break eye contact.

"I suppose I will see all of you at the trial then."

Harry stood and growled and balled his fists up at his side. "You can bet on it."

Narcissa turned, Harry followed her through the kitchen and out the door. He almost brandished his wand when he saw her glance at his sons who were still sitting at the kitchen table but Arthur shook his head.

Ginny stood in the middle of the room, her face nearly purple. Her fingernails dug into the palms of her sweaty hands. Luna stood up and put a hand on Ginny's shoulder. Even though her heart was racing Ginny was barely breathing. She shrugged Luna's hand off of her shoulder. Adrenaline was coursing through her veins, never so badly in her life did she need to fly or run; anything to get out the emotion built up inside of her.

"Mum!" Ginny yelled as she walked into the kitchen. "Is my Nimbus still in the broom shed?"

"Of course dear. Going for a fly, are you?"

"I have some things to think about."

"Be safe, you've got your match tomorrow don't forget."

"Where are you going, Gin?" Hermione walked into the kitchen and sat down next to Lennox.

"Just a night time fly around the fields. I've got some thinking to do."

"Why not just take a walk, I'll come with…"

"No, Hermione," Ginny snapped. "I need to fly." Ginny left the kitchen. Hermione watched out the window as the tip of Ginny's wand lit up and headed to the broom shed. The light disappeared for a few minutes then emerged. It held steady for a bit, then took off up in the sky.

"Where's Ginny going?" Lennox asked. "No Quidditch at night."

"She's just going to fly for a little while. She'll be back."

"When can I fly?"

"Ginny will teach you when you're old enough, sweetie."

"You know they have trainer brooms, right 'Mione?" Harry sat down next to Albus.

"Yes, but he didn't."

"Come on 'Mione, if he wants to learn to fly then he should start young."

"He'll start flying when Ginny thinks it is suitable to teach him."

Harry smiled. "Okay 'Mione. Have you been over to see the house?"

"I have and it is coming along fantastically, much quicker than I expected. At this rate they'll be done by the beginning of August. I've already talked to someone in the transportation department about getting the Floo set up when we're done building."

Ginny zipped up around the Burrow. She flew over the adjacent fields and dangerously close to the village. She didn't care though. The rush of almost being seen released more adrenaline from her. She flew to the Lovegood house which was now partially rebuilt. The half-built rook-like structure was accompanied by the skeleton of a regular looking house along with a large outbuilding where she assumed _The Quibbler_ would be set up. She took off again, as high as she could go before the air started getting too thin to breathe. She dove back down and avoided collision with the ground by mere centimeters. She landed in an open field and sat down, her broomstick at her feet.

It all happened so quickly. Four figures coming from each direction, all of them shouted at once before Ginny could un-strap her wand from the broom handle.

"_STUPEFY_!"


	13. Chapter 13

**-Chapter 13-**

Hermione woke up on the sofa in the sitting room of the Burrow. Light peeked into the windows. She looked at her wristwatch. It was 6:45. She quietly snuck up the stairs and into Ginny's room. The bed was empty. She poked her head in the room across the landing, Lennox was fast asleep. She snuck up to the second floor and looked into Percy's old bedroom where Harry and Luna were asleep with the twins in between them. Loud snores from across the hallway told Hermione that Ron was in Fred and George's old room. She vaguely remembered Willow disapparating sometime around midnight.

Hermione walked outside to the broom shed, she looked around for the familiar shape of the Nimbus but it was nowhere to be found.

"Dammit, Ginny. Where are you?" Hermione muttered to herself as she walked back to the Burrow. When she got inside Molly was at the stove boiling a kettle of water.

"She didn't come back, Molly." Hermione sat down at the kitchen table and buried her head in her hands.

"Go wake Harry and Ron," Molly choked out. Hermione saw Molly gripping her wand so tight her knuckles were white.

"Are you all right?"

"No, I'm not. Go wake Harry and Ron."

Hermione did as she was told and woke both men. They dressed and came downstairs immediately. Without a word they went outside and Hermione watched as they went to the broom shed and each came out with a Clean Sweep. They took off and flew up high and then out of sight. Hermione heard the staircase creak and saw Lennox carefully making his way down the steps followed by Arthur. Lennox ran to Hermione and she picked him up and pulled him in close. Luna came downstairs with the twins around 7:30. The kitchen was silent aside from Molly's occasional clanging of pans as she prepared oatmeal for the kids.

Hermione stared off into space and her daze was broken by the creak of the kitchen door. Harry came in and sat down at the table across from Hermione.

"Anything? Please, anything is better than nothing."

Ron walked in the kitchen with Ginny's broom, wand still attached to the handle. A serpent was carved into the wood just below the wand attachment.

"Ronald, tell me that my fiancée is with you." Hermione stood up and put Lennox in her chair.

Ron shook his head. "This is all we found, two fields over."

"Dammit Ron!" Hermione yelled. "Don't tell me that! Where the hell is Ginny?"

"I-I don't know, Hermione."

"Molly," Arthur sad as he stood up, "you just restocked on Floo powder, correct?"

"Y-yes dear."

"Good."

Arthur spent the better part of an hour with his head in the fireplace and in no time at all every single Weasley was at the Burrow minus Charlie who was on his way.

"You know where she is, Ron," said George as he stood up at the crowded kitchen table. "Just go get the Aurors and ambush!"

"Harry and I alerted the Ministry but you know as well as I do that the minute they get to Malfoy Manor they will just disappear with her."

"George the only way we're going to get her out is from the inside," Harry said. "We've done it before but…we didn't have a choice on how to get in."

Hermione shuddered. Oh yes, they had done it once but not by choice. That was her first experience with the _Cruciatu_s curse. She didn't remember much of it, just that one minute Bellatrix Lestrange was torturing her and the next minute she was on a beach being carried into Bill and Fleur's house.

Bill nodded. "The question is, how do we get in?" he asked.

"Draco," Hermione said. "We can use Draco."

"Um…'Mione, do you forget that he is in Azkaban?" Ron asked.

"I know he is but if we promise Narcissa a trade she will take it."

"We can't just walk in to Azkaban and check him out for a day, it's not a library. Even in a hostage situation the Ministry won't let him out."

"Then we take him."

"Hermione, I've always known you were a tad bit mental but that…that is nothing short of total insanity."

"Well just what the hell do you propose we do then, Ronald?" Hermione shrieked. "Your little sister is having Merlin knows what done to her right now, any idea is a good idea at this point!"

"Why not repeat what we did in the horcux hunt?"

"But how do we get in?" Bill demanded. "We can't just knock on the door and politely ask to be taken hostage!"

"We should let the Ministry handle it!" Percy said. "Shacklebolt is a good man, he will know what to do."

Before anyone could speak, an eagle patronus flew into the kitchen window.

"That's Robards," Harry and Ron said in unison.

"Potter, Weasley, come up to the Ministry at once. I know you know what is going on but the Aurors need to decide the best course of action. See you soon."

The patronus disappeared. Harry and Ron left the table, checking that they had their wands and they Flooed away.

Hermione finally broke down and started sobbing. "This is my fault! I should have gone with her last night."

"Nonsense, Hermione!" Luna held on to the inconsolable brunette. "Ginny wanted to be alone, that's how she is. There was nothing you could do."


	14. Chapter 14

**-Chapter 14-**

Ginny groaned as she opened her eyes. It was dark save for a dim lamp. She was in a bed, a comfortable bed. It definitely wasn't hers or anyone's she'd ever been in before. She could tell that she had taken multiple stunners, every bit of her body hurt. She sat up and looked around, straining to see what was around the room. Ginny reached for the lamp and turned it up, a little bit more of the room came into focus. It was a small room with only a bed and a desk. There were two doors. Ginny got out of bed and reached for the doorknob closest to the bed but it gave her a nasty shock.

"Fuck!" Ginny shook her hand. Her fingertips burned. She walked over to the desk and opened each drawer, one drawer had parchment, quills and a bottle of ink, and the rest were bare. She heard a creak just outside of the door and backed against one of the walls as the doorknob turned and the door swung open.

"Food," a gruff voice spoke. It belonged to a man, he was tall and skinny. Ginny could smell fire whiskey and sweat. She watched as his eyes leered at her, examining her up and down. He set a tray down on the desk. He looked over his shoulder then walked towards Ginny. "Pretty little blood-traitor, aren't you?" He reached his hand out and Ginny scrambled away.

"Do not touch!"

Narcissa Malfoy's voice echoed through the room and the tall man turned away from Ginny and slipped out the door.

"Where the fuck am I?" Ginny demanded to know.

"I thought that would be obvious to you by now. Eat your lunch, I want to keep you healthy."

"Fuck you, Narcissa." Ginny picked up the tray and threw it at the wall. "Where the hell is my family?"

"I have none of them. As far as I know, they are safe. If any harm comes to them it will not be at my hand."

"You really think this is going to get Draco out of Azkaban? The only thing this is going to do is land you in a cell with that pathetic excuse of a man you call your husband."

"Mouthy little Weasley, aren't you? If you're going to be that way I suppose we can always dispose of you and use someone else instead. That Lovegood girl would do quite nicely…"

Ginny let out a short squeal. Narcissa smiled. It was quite possibly the most evil smile Ginny had ever seen.

"What do you want from me? Fuck…just tell me what to do and I'll do it if you leave everyone alone."

"I thought that might get you to cooperate. I'll let you know when we can use you. Should I send you another tray or will you pitch it against the wall as well?"

"I'm not hungry." Ginny crossed her arms over her stomach. She was starving.

"I have no intention of poisoning you, Ginny. I need you alive and in good health." Narcissa aimed her wand at the mess on the floor. "_Tergeo." _The mess Ginny made cleaned itself up. The silver dishes and cutlery arranged themselves on the tray and it lifted back onto the desk. "Rabastan! Come get this tray and bring our guest a new one."

Ginny looked curiously at the man who came back in the room. He licked his lips as he looked at her again.

"Rabastan…Lestrange?! He's supposed to be dead!" Ginny exclaimed as the man walked out the door.

"Apparently he isn't."

"You know that my entire family plus the Ministry are going to be looking for me, right?"

"I have protections in place."

Narcissa and Ginny waited silently in the small room for Rabastan to return. Ginny sat on the floor and pulled her knees up to her chest, determined to keep the disgusting man from looking at her. He snarled at her when he brought the tray back up.

"Someone will retrieve the tray later. Your bathroom is there." Narcissa pointed to the second door. "There is an Anti-Disapparition jinx on your room. There are no windows, no fireplaces, and no secret passages so don't bother trying to escape."

Ginny scowled and Narcissa left the room. Ginny got up off the floor and moved the lamp from the bed side table to the desk. On the tray there was a glass of milk, a hot ham and cheese sandwich, fresh chips, and a bowl of rice pudding. She picked the lamp up again and went into the bathroom. It was small, only a toilet, single stall shower and sink. There wasn't even a mirror. She walked back into the bedroom and looked at every corner and every wall.

"Fan-bloody-tastic," she said as she sat down at the desk. She looked over the sandwich. It didn't look or smell as though it had any poisons cooked into it. She let it touch her lips and it didn't taste as though anything malicious had been done to it. She ate her lunch and thought about how she could possibly make her escape.


	15. Chapter 15

**-Chapter 15-**

It was nearly dusk before Harry and Ron came back to the Burrow. Molly greeted them at the fireplace, shaking with anticipation.

"Harry…Harry please tell me something. Anything!"

A crowd gathered around the two men.

"I told everyone about the encounter last night, although Malfoy Manor is the most likely place she could be it's not for certain. Last anyone knew the Malfoys own other property all over and the Ministry has to know for sure before something is done. Robards doesn't want Ron and me out looking with the others because he says we're too involved. Tomorrow Narcissa will be summoned to come in for questioning and we'll be there for that…"

"Questioning?!" Bill thundered. "Fuck questioning! Go to Malfoy Manor, kill anyone who gets in the way and get Ginny, it's not that difficult!"

"Trust me, Bill, I suggested that but we don't know how many Death Eaters are guarding the Manor or where in it she is being held. We literally have nothing to go on except a general location."

"Where's Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Outside with Luna and two of Ginny's Quidditch mates," Percy nodded to the door.

Ron and Harry left the sitting room where Bill was yelling about how he himself was going to Malfoy Manor and Percy and Charlie were attempting to restrain him from Flooing out of the Burrow. Luna was sitting in the grass, her light blonde hair shimmering. Hermione was lying down with her head in Luna's lap, Aislin and Willow were sitting facing Luna. Harry knelt down beside Luna and Hermione sat up.

"Let me guess," Hermione said, pulling her knees up to her chest, "the Ministry wants to follow some ridiculous protocol and wait until they know for sure and all that rubbish."

Harry sighed. "Basically, yeah."

"Then we've got to do something. Harry, we have to." Hermione shook and Luna held on to her.

"Narcissa is going to be brought in for questioning first thing tomorrow morning. Ron and I will be sitting in on it. We'll figure out what to do after that."

"I still say we use Draco."

"Hermione we can't break into Azkaban."

Hermione growled. "Why not?"

Ron knelt down next to Hermione. "For the love of Merlin have you completely gone off your rocker?"

"I DON'T CARE, RON!" Hermione yelled as she stood up. "My fiancée is missing at the hands of Narcissa Malfoy and I will do whatever it takes to get her back. Do you hear me? I _do not_ care what it takes, I want her back."

"Hermione, I understand. Do you forget that she is my sister?"

Harry and Luna whispered to each other and the blonde got up and went inside.

"We're going to get Ginny," Harry stated rather nonchalantly. "The three of us."

"Um, Harry, Shacklebolt said…"

"To hell with what he said, Ron. Since when have the three of us ever followed any sort of rules? We've gone through more than anyone in that damn Auror department and you know it."

"Yeah and we had loads of help, mate! There towards the end it wasn't just the three of us."

"Well then we'll come with you!" Aislin said as she stood up.

"And Charlie, Bill, and George sound like they'd be willing to come as well," said Willow when Aislin pulled her up off the ground. Willow walked over to Ron and he slipped an arm around her waist.

"We can't tell Percy," Hermione said. "While you were gone all he talked about was how the Ministry would handle this brilliantly and he'd turn anyone in who didn't comply. Bill shoved him in the broom closet for an hour or so, even Audrey was sick of listening to him."

"You're all serious about this, aren't you?" Ron said.

Everyone nodded.

"What do you say, Ron? Or are you too old for it?" Harry smiled.

"Well…we need a plan, don't we?"

Bill, Charlie, and George came out of the Burrow and walked over to the group.

"When do we leave?" George asked, twirling his wand in his fingers.

"I can get a nasty Chinese Fireball up here by tomorrow night. He's a teenager, hasn't been tamed yet. Really hormonal."

The group couldn't help but laugh.

"Thanks Charlie," Harry said. "We should have a definite plan though."

"I've got an idea," Bill said. "Of course any of it could go wrong at any time but I guess we're all used to that by now, aren't we?"


	16. Chapter 16

Before we continue: In all fairness I did give plenty of warning that parts of the story would be dark and unpleasant, did I not? If my memory serves me right I also put the warning in **bold** so you would get the point.

* * *

**-Chapter 16-**

Ginny woke up to the sound of knocking on the door of the small room. She rolled out of the bed and called for whoever it was to come in. When the door opened Narcissa stepped in and Ginny caught a glimpse of the hallway. It was light but she couldn't tell if it was because of lanterns or sunshine.

"What time is it?" Ginny asked when Narcissa closed the door.

"It's 8:30 in the morning. Did you sleep well?"

"Not really, no."

"I'm going out for a while. For some reason the Ministry believes I've kidnapped you," Narcissa smirked, "and they've demanded that I come in for an inquiry. No doubt your brother, Ron, and your friend Mr. Potter will be there. Shall I send them a message?"

"Yeah, tell them where I am."

"Of course."

Narcissa turned and left the room. Ginny waited until she was sure Narcissa was gone. She went to her bed and took off one of the sheets. She tore it into long strips and hid them under the duvet. Ginny paced the floor a little bit. She knew she was risking death doing what she was about to do but she would rather die trying than do whatever Narcissa had in store for her.

Every time Ginny turned on the shower tap it was almost a guarantee that Rabastan would burst in the bedroom with a tray of food, more oil for the lamp or some other excuse. Ginny counted on the pervert to come running up the stairs. She took the lamp to the bathroom and set it down on the toilet lid. She left the door open then turned the tap on full blast. She waited against the wall next to the bedroom door. Sure enough the familiar sounding footsteps appeared outside and the door swung open.

Ginny leapt out from behind the door. Rabastan whirled around and Ginny promptly kneed him in the groin. The clamor of the tray with dishes echoed throughout the room when Rabastan fell to his knees. As Rabastan tried to recover, Ginny picked up the tray and swung it at his head. There was a distinct "thunk" as the metal connected with his skull. Ginny ran to her bed and pulled out the strips of torn fabric. She tied together the unconscious man's hands and legs then gagged him. She searched his pockets but found no wand. A flaw in the plan.

"Rabastan!" Ginny heard a deep voice call from the hallway. "Narcissa told you to leave the girl alone! And would you stop leaving your bloody wand…" the voice stopped and tall muscular figure appeared in the doorway. "Dammit, blood-traitor! Where the hell are you?" The figure stepped over Rabastan's body. Ginny jumped up and wrapped her arms around the man's neck. He pulled his wand out of his pocket and aimed it behind him. A stunner hit the wall and the room shook a little. Ginny tightened her grip on the man's neck. His movements slowed a little and he dropped his wand, he tried to pry Ginny's arms away from his neck but her grip was too strong. In that moment she was glad she lifted weights as often as she did. Ginny's feet hit the floor as the man dropped to his knees. He passed out on the floor and Ginny grabbed his wand.

"_Petrificus totalus!"_ she said, aiming the wand at the man she had just strangled. His body seized up. Ginny quietly left the small room and went into the hallway. Light flooded in from the windows, Ginny's head hurt as her eyes adjusted. She navigated through a maze of hallways until she found a staircase, she went down the steps, looking around her at every stair. She heard voices, one female and one male.

"She'll be of plenty use, Alecto!" the male voice spoke, "the girl is healthy and if she has a good _Imperius_ on her then she'll work just fine. Most importantly she's a pure-blood."

"Carrow…" Ginny muttered.

"Amycus, they won't stop looking for her. The Ministry will go full force with this. Draco's trial isn't for a while yet. I doubt she'll even be here for that long. If they don't find her by then they certainly will before a Malfoy heir is conceived."

Ginny had to hold her hand over her mouth to keep from vomiting. She listened as the voices trailed off. She continued down the stairs trying to push the image of what Alecto had just said out of her mind. She reached the bottom of the stairwell and looked around the foyer. She looked towards the grand front doors and started heading towards them. She reached for the elaborate handle.

"_Crucio!"_ a voice yelled from behind her. Ginny felt a sharp pain go through her body and she fell to the floor. She turned her head and saw Alecto Carrow standing behind her. "Brave, very brave," Alecto said with a cackle.

"Fuck…you…" Ginny gasped. The pain went surging through her body again and she tried not to scream but it was no use. The pain was too great. She heard her own screams come back to her as they echoed throughout the giant foyer. The pain stopped and Ginny panted.

"Did you really you could get out, Weasley girl?"

"I counted on it." Ginny gripped the wand behind her back.

"Get up, girl. Back up to your room."

Ginny stood. With one quick move she shot a Stunning Spell at Alecto who blocked it. Ginny ducked the spell that came after her and shot back with a powerful Reductor Curse which was again blocked. Ginny blocked a stunner, then finally caught Alecto off guard with Levicorpus. The older witch flew up in the air and hung by her ankles. Ginny ran for the door again and this time got it open. She ran through the courtyard towards the gate. She almost reached it before she felt a Stunning Spell hit her back and she hit the ground.

Ginny knew the spell must have hit her from a distance, she was still partially conscious. She couldn't move, her vision was blurry and it sounded like water was rushing through her ears. She felt herself being lifted and she watched the ground as she floated back to the house. She tried her best to make some kind of noise, anything to let them know she despised the lot of them. All she could do was groan.

"Stupid girl," she heard Amycus say as she passed through the front door. "Not that we didn't know that already. Chamber of Secrets ring a bell?"

Ginny closed her eyes and groaned again. She hated being reminded of her first year at Hogwarts. She still didn't understand how she could've been so stupid and vulnerable. She felt herself being tossed onto the bed in the familiar, small room. As she expected they would be, her hands were bound and tied to the headboard.

"You nasty little bitch!" she heard Rabastan yell. She heard him moved towards the bed.

"No, Rabastan," the voice of the male Ginny had petrified said, "you know what Narcissa said. The girl is not to be harmed unless it is necessary."

"Nothing I want to do to her has anything to do with magic, Rodolphus. The little whore has been teasing me since the second she got here and after what she did she deserves to pay!"

"No!" Rodolphus growled. "She is not yours to touch and you know it. Narcissa would have you hanging in the dungeon by your dick if she found out!"

Ginny could feel the eyes of the disgusting man looking over her.

"I'm willing to risk that."

"Look, we'll get you some Muggle girl like we used to. We can't risk any…lingering consequences with this one."

"Get out of this room, Rodolphus. If there is any consequence then I will take the blame for it. I don't want some Muggle girl, I want this one."

There was a pause. Ginny hoped with every bit of strength she had that Rodolphus would drag his brother away. Her heart was racing and she could feel a bead of sweat fall down her forehead.

"If Narcissa finds out you had better tell her that I dragged you away but you snuck back up here, do you hear me?"

Ginny's heart stopped. Her mind started racing. How could she get out of this? Was there any bargain, anything at all she could use?

"I promise, Dolph."

"Be careful, she'll put up a fight."

"Good. You know I like that."

Ginny heard the door shut and footsteps come towards her. Her mind was still racing.

"_He wants me to put up a fight. I won't. If that's what will make him want me then I just won't fight it…but that would make me a coward. I'm no bloody coward. I'm a Gryffindor, I don't simply give up. Hermione…oh gods Hermione…what the hell will Hermione do when she finds out? Would she want me to fight? At least it's me…at least it's me and not her."_

Ginny felt a pair of hands on her waist. She clenched her jaw and closed her eyes.

"_I won't fight it…I'll do nothing. I won't cry, I won't scream. Just…nothing…"_

A sinister laugh filled the room.

"You're mine, Weasley girl."

* * *

So when I read the comments from the last few chapters and was told "just don't go there" it made me sweat a bit because well...as you can plainly read, I went there just a little bit. This story was all finished before I started publishing though so I didn't intentionally think "Okay, this is exactly what they don't want so I'll go ahead and write it!" and I'm not going to go through and re-write the whole rest of the story because there are still like twenty chapters after this one.

You may now commence with telling me how much you dislike me and all of that.


	17. Chapter 17

**-Chapter 17-**

Harry and Ron went to the Ministry Sunday morning for Narcissa's questioning. It was part of the plan that had been conjured up after hours of discussion amongst Bill, Charlie, George, Ron, Harry, Hermione, Aislin and Willow. Narcissa needed to see Ron and Harry at the interrogation. If she saw them she wouldn't alert anyone at Malfoy Manor. They counted on Narcissa thinking that Harry would be the one that would want to save the day, as he always did. His absence would tell her that something was going to happen and she would alert whoever was guarding Malfoy Manor. They were to listen very closely for any tips or clues as to where Ginny might be.

Harry and Ron sat patiently on a bench in the interrogation room. Harry had a clipboard with parchment and a quill, ready to scribble down his own notes. An Auror stood on each side of the door and there was a table in the center of the room, a chair on each side. In one chair sat Harry and Ron's boss. Narcissa was escorted in precisely at nine o'clock. She sneered at Ron and Harry then sat in the empty chair at the table.

"Mrs. Malfoy, do you know why you are here?" Robards asked, scribbling on some parchment.

"The letter I received did not give a specific reason as to why I was asked to come."

"Were you at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Weasley on this passed Friday evening?"

"I was, yes."

"And what was your business there, Mrs. Malfoy?"

"I felt guilty for the actions my son had taken against Miss Granger, the Potters and the two Weasley children. I wanted to apologize to them on Draco's behalf and see if there was anything I could do."

"Is that all?"

"I did attempt to make a deal with Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley. I know they have standing in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and I inquired as to whether or not they could find it in their hearts to help me get Draco out of that awful prison. He is simply a misguided young man, I tried to make them see that but I was treated with anger and hostility."

"Anger and hostility you say? In what way?"

"Young Miss Ginny Weasley threatened my well being. I did understand though. She always has had a bit of a temper and she wanted to protect her loved ones, much like I want to protect my Draco."

"Where did you go after your visit?"

"I apparated to the nearby village and then used the Floo Network to go to Diagon Alley. I went to the apothecary to purchase hellebore for some Draught of Peace that I brewed later on that evening. After the apothecary I went right home."

"Can you provide witnesses to your whereabouts?"

"The apothecary will remember me, surely. He was just getting ready to close his shop when I went in for the hellebore. I offered him an extra Galleon over the price if he would stay open just long enough for me to get what I needed."

"Are you familiar with the surroundings of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's home?"

"Mr. Robards, with all due respect, I have complied with all of your questions. I believe I deserve to know why I am being asked them."

Harry noticed something when Narcissa changed the subject. There was a reason he was one of the most skilled Aurors in the department and it wasn't because he was only good at tracking down and getting Dark Wizards. He had developed a knack for knowing when someone was lying without the use of Legilimency or Veritaserum. His skills as a Seeker carried to his job, he was able to see fine details that others couldn't. Harry watched Narcissa's thin neck. There was a slight pulsation where her jugular vein lay just below the skin. Harry watched it intently. The minute she asked Robards to explain her interrogation the pulsation sped up.

"_She's lying." _He scribbled on the paper, showing it to Ron. _"Her pulse just went through the roof. She knows why she is here."_

"Mrs. Malfoy, Ginny Weasley disappeared from her parents' home last night shortly after your visit. Her broomstick was found, wand attached, in a nearby field with a serpent carved into the broom handle."

"How terrible!" Narcissa's right eyebrow twitched. Harry scribbled even more on his paper. "I suppose it does look like I would be a likely suspect, I can see now!" Narcissa's voice had gone up in pitch. Harry was sweating trying to keep up with writing down all the things he wanted to.

"Were you involved, directly or indirectly, with the disappearance of Ginny Weasley?"

"Of course not."

Another lie.

"Do you still live at Malfoy Manor, Mrs. Malfoy?"

"Of course."

"Do you still own other property throughout Britain?"

"Lucius sold all of it. I didn't find out about it until just after he went back to…after what he did."

Harry felt like he could do a back flip. Narcissa wasn't lying. There was only one place that Ginny could be. He scribbled it on the parchment and showed it to Ron who nodded slightly.

"I will be back momentarily, Mrs. Malfoy. I would like to have a word with my colleagues." Robards stood up from his chair and looked at Harry and Ron. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley."

The two men stood up and walked out of the room.

"Well, what do you think, Potter? I know your skill of lie detecting, what were your findings."

Harry fought a smile at the irony that the situation presented. "I don't have enough that would convict her or put her in Azkaban," Harry lied. He knew they would hold her if he said they should but they didn't have time for the other Aurors to formulate a plan and risk Ginny's life to get her out. They knew Narcissa would have warned whoever was with Ginny that if she didn't come back to kill anyone that stepped on the property or even Ginny herself.

"I think it does warrant house arrest though," Harry continued. "I'll look over my notes and if I think she needs further questioning I will let you know."

Robards nodded and they stepped back into the room.

"Mrs. Malfoy, I am going to request that after you leave here you go directly back to your residence and do not attempt to leave until such a time when we inform you that your name has been cleared of all suspect."

"I understand, Mr. Robards. I dare not defy the Ministry."

"Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy. You are dismissed."

Narcissa got up and left the room. Ron and Harry followed. Narcissa got on the lift to head for the atrium.

Bill and Charlie waited in the atrium, cloaks on and hoods up. They watched Narcissa get off the lift and head to the fireplaces. They listened closely as she tossed in a handful of Floo Powder.

"Diagon Alley, Madam Malkin's!" she said as the green flames engulfed her.

Bill and Charlie tossed in Floo Powder into their own fireplaces.

"Diagon Alley, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes!" they said simultaneously.


	18. Chapter 18

**-Chapter 18-**

Bill stepped out of the fireplace at George's shop, followed immediately by Charlie. Hermione, Aislin, and George ran to greet them.

"Madam Malkin's, lets go!" Bill said as he took Hermione's arm. The five ran through the almost bare streets. It was Sunday, most of the shops were closed but a few did remain open such as the apothecary, a number of cafes and of course Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions. Hermione pulled the Invisibility cloak out of her bag and wrapped it around Charlie. Bill made sure his hood was covering his face, Aislin instantly grew her hair out, part of it covering her face. Bill then opened the door to the shop, letting Charlie slip in first followed by Aislin and then himself.

Narcissa had a nightdress draped over her arm and she was browsing through the Muggle clothing. Madam Malkin hurried over to Bill.

"How can I help you?"

"Browsing. Something for my wife for her birthday," Bill spoke in a deep, gruff voice.

"Mum likes Muggle clothes," Aislin said.

"Oh yes, Muggle clothes are there in the corner." Madam Malkin pointed to where Narcissa was standing. Bill walked over to the racks of clothes and pretended to be browsing.

"I couldn't help overhearing, something for your wife?"

Bill grunted, approvingly. Aislin inspected the clothes Narcissa was holding while Bill had her attention.

"I'm shopping for my daughter," Narcissa said.

Charlie, who was standing beside Bill, growled. Bill elbowed him.

"My wife likes the Muggle clothes magazines. Her mother was a Muggle who liked that sort of thing, too. I think our robes are perfectly acceptable, myself. More comfortable, that's for certain."

"Muggles do have odd fashions. Here, your wife might like these." Narcissa showed Bill a rack of colorful pants and skirts.

"Thanks."

"Have a nice day."

Bill grunted again. Narcissa walked to the counter with a few outfits and night robes, paid for her things and then went to the chimney. Charlie followed her and she tossed in her Floo Powder and stepped in.

"Malfoy Manor!"

Bill, Aislin and Charlie ran out of the store, nearly knocking over George.

"She said she was buying clothes for her daughter. She Flooed to Malfoy Manor. We need to get to Grimmauld Place."

The five ran back to George's shop and one by one Flooed away. They stepped out in the sitting room of Number 12 Grimmauld Place, Willow, Ron and Harry stood to greet them.

"Narcissa is at Malfoy Manor, she just Flooed there from Madam Malkin's with a bag of Muggle clothes," said Charlie.

"I talked to her a bit, she said the clothes were for her daughter."

"I looked at the tags, they're Ginny's size."

"We know she has her. She lied and told Robards that she had nothing to do with the kidnapping," Harry said, "there is no other place she could be. Lucius sold all of their property right before he landed himself back in Azkaban."

"We move at dusk, then," Bill said.

There was a collective nod.

The rest of the day was nothing but pure nervousness. At one point, Hermione sat at the dining room table with a parchment and quill, furiously scribbling and crossing out lines.

"I've never known you to have trouble writing anything, 'Mione," Harry said as he sat down across from her.

"I've never had to write out what I want to happen if I die."

"Understandable. This isn't the most dangerous thing we've done though."

"I have a bit more to think about now than I did ten years ago, Harry."

"You don't have to come with us. It's not too late for you to…"

"I'm doing this. I love Ginny and I'm not going to sit back and do nothing." Hermione scribbled on her paper even more.

"I'll leave you to your thoughts, then."

"Wait. I need to ask something of you and please don't say yes just because you think you have to."

"Okay, what is it?"

"I realize that with the twins and another one on the way you will have your hands full but if something was to happen to both Ginny and I tonight…would you and Luna consider adopting Lennox? I thought about Molly and Arthur but they aren't…well they're not young anymore. If you can't I completely understand."

"I don't know 'Mione. I love Lennox, I really do but like you said, we're going to have our hands pretty full. Do you have a second choice?"

"George and Angelina."

"Why don't you ask George and then come back to me, okay?"

Hermione nodded. Harry left the dining room and George came in moments later.

"Harry said you wanted to ask me something," he said, taking the seat that Harry just left.

"I was wondering, George…I think a great deal of you and Angelina…If something was to happen to Ginny and I tonight…would you consider adopting Lennox?"

"I'd love nothing more, Herm. Nothing is going to happen though. Don't you worry about it." George reached over the table and tousled Hermione's hair. She crinkled her nose at him and smiled.

He left the dining room and Hermione continued scribbling until she was satisfied. She read the letter over and over. Absolutely everything to Ginny. If something happened to both of them then it was to George and Angelina and some money to Molly and Arthur. Hermione folded the letter and put it into an envelope.

She took the envelope upstairs to the drawing room and put it on Ginny's desk. The light outside the window was growing dark. Hermione paced the room a few times. She heard Bill call for her and she went back downstairs to the sitting room.

"Ready?" Bill asked the group.

Everyone nodded. Eight loud cracks echoed through the room.


	19. Chapter 19

**-Chapter 19-**

Eight figures appeared outside the gate of Malfoy Manor.

"Everyone all right?" Bill asked.

Hermione clutched her stomach. "Fine…just been a while since I did that at a distance."

Bill looked over the gate and tapped it with his wand a few times.

"Harry is the only one that should go through the gate," he said. "I'm sure they've got something that alerts them if someone comes in or goes out, all of us coming in will surely set them off."

Harry opened the gate to the manor grounds and slipped inside. Charlie, Hermione, Aislin and George went to the right around the tall hedges, Bill, Willow and Ron to the left.

Harry walked calmly to the grand front doors and rang the doorbell. Narcissa opened the door and looked at him like he was a ghost. She peered around him looking for signs of anyone else.

"Mr. Potter, what a surprise. I told you at the Ministry this morning, I know nothing of Ginny's whereabouts. And to be honest, I was rather offended when I was called in." Narcissa's right eyebrow twitched.

"I understand your being offended, Narcissa. That wasn't because of a personal vendetta, you were just one of the last ones to see her aside from all of us at the Burrow. I apologize if you felt threatened." Harry's stomach churned.

"Thank you Mr. Potter. I would invite you in but dinner is just being served, surely you understand."

"Of course. Oh I do have one more thing for you." Harry dug into his pockets. "A letter from the Ministry about Draco's trial…" quickly he pulled out his wand before Narcissa had time to react she was under the body bind curse and crashed to the floor. "Voldemort would have a laugh at this one," he said, stepping over Narcissa's body.

...............

Hermione, Charlie, Aislin and George ran along the hedge. Charlie burned a hole in the hedge but several serpents quickly slithered out of the bush and started snapping at them. They cast Reductor curses but the serpents kept coming.

"Let me try something …" Charlie said, standing back and aiming his wand at George. "_Protego totalum."_ George was encompassed by a light blue bubble. Charlie took a swing at him and yelled when his fist hit the wall around George. In only a few second though, the bubble disappeared. "It's the only way but I think that only lasted about half a minute so we'll have to be quick. The minute I cast the shield, jump through the hedge. Got it, George?"

"Got it. Shield me!"

Charlie aimed his wand at George again and the blue bubble appeared again. George jumped through the hole, several serpents tried to attack him but the shield held strong.

"It worked! Send the girls through!"

Charlie aimed his wand at Hermione and after the bubble appeared she quickly jumped through the hedge, same for Aislin. Charlie then aimed the wand at himself and jumped through. The four ran to the large structure that was towering in the dark. They ran along side it, looking for a door.

"Hey, look!" Hermione pointed up to the second row of windows on the side of the house.

"Yeah, windows, so what?" George tried to pull Hermione along.

"No! Look! There is a gap in the windows! The windows are perfectly symmetrical from one edge of the house to the other on every floor except for that gap two windows from the right! If you wanted to conceal someone in a room you would certainly get rid of the windows, wouldn't you?"

"I thought we agreed that she was probably in the dungeon," Charlie hissed as he dragged Hermione along.

"We'll ask Bill when we get inside."

"Whatever, let's just get going."

They snuck around the house until they found a door, it was locked but quickly remedied with a flick of Hermione's wand and one of the first spells she ever mastered.

"_Alohomora!" _

There was a click and they slowly opened the door. The room inside was barely lit by beams of moonlight from outside, there were couches and tables all over, much like a Hogwarts common room. The four navigated through the room to the doors on the other side. They pressed their ears up against the door and heard voices echoing. Hermione pulled an extendable ear out of her bag and George slipped it under the door.

"…_dinner is just being served, surely you understand."_

"_Of course. Oh I do have one more thing for you…a letter from the Ministry about Draco's trial…"_

There was a thud. Charlie quietly opened the door into the hallway and the four ran to the foyer…


	20. Chapter 20

**-Chapter 20-**

Ron, Willow and Bill ran around the hedge, opposite the direction of Hermione, Charlie, Aislin and George.

"All right, over you go," Bill said aiming his wand at Ron.

"What, what are you doing?"

"_Mobilicorpus!"_ Ron shot up over the hedge and landed on the ground on the other side with a thud. Willow landed next to him seconds later

"Ow! You git!" Ron growled through the hedge. Bill landed on the ground next to Ron. "How did you…what?"

"I learned when I was working in Egypt. Don't tell Mum I can do it. She thinks flying without a broomstick or anything is Dark Magic. I can only do short distances, that's the biggest leap I've taken in a while. Now come on, we've got to find a door!"

Ron, Willow and Bill ran around the house and found a door. Bill pressed his ear to it and heard nothing. He unlocked it and cracked it slightly. It was a kitchen, brightly lit. Pots and pans were bubbling on the large stove. Bill quickly shut the door when he saw a house elf come in from one of the other doors.

"Shit. We can't go in there, it's the kitchen. There's an elf in there getting ready to serve dinner."

"That's perfect, we can catch them all off guard in the dining room," Ron said.

"Good thinking little bro. Let's see if we can find another door."

They snuck around the house more until they found yet another door. Bill checked it again and unlocked it. He peered inside and it was dark. The tip of his wand lit up and he poked it inside the door.

"This one's clear, let's go."

The trio stepped inside the room. There was an old desk and a few old broken chairs off to one side, several tattered books were strewn about the room. There was a thick layer of dust on everything indicating no one had touched the room in years.

"Glad Hermione isn't here," Ron said. "She'd be trying to pack all of these books with us."

There was a thud from the desk when Willow dropped one of the books. Bill chuckled and Ron groaned.

"These books are ancient! They're probably worth…"

"Willow, I understand that you love books, I really do but we can't waste any time. I promise when the Aurors come clean this place out I'll get some of them for you but not right now!"

Willow smiled and flung herself onto Ron and kissed him.

"You will?"

"Yeah, but right now we've got to save Ginny."

"You got the Extendable Ear?" Bill asked.

Ron broke away from Willow and rummaged through his pockets and pulled out the ear.

"You know I actually had Fred and George send me some of these while I was still working in Egypt. They're brilliant for listening into tombs for poltergeists and the like."

Bill slid one of the ears under the door and he and Ron listened to the other.

"…_a letter from the Ministry about Draco's trial…"_

There was a thud and then several sets of feet scrambling. Ron, Willow and Bill joined them, they were just behind Hermione, Aislin, Charlie, and George. Everyone stood in the foyer facing opposite directions, wands drawn.

"They're in the dining room," Bill whispered.

"I think Ginny might be upstairs," Hermione added.

"I thought the dungeons were the best bet!" hissed Ron.

"We should get to the dining room and incapacitate whoever we can then split up. Harry, Ron, Willow and I will go down to the dungeons. Hermione, Charlie, Aislin and George, you go upstairs and check Hermione's theory."

"She doesn't have any evidence!" Ron hissed again.

"Yes I do! Please just let us try."

"We're doing it my way," Bill growled, "Hermione's no dolt, if she has a feeling then we're going with it. Someone conjure a patronus to come find us if she is up there and we will do the same if she's in the dungeon. The second you have her and send it or the second you see it then I want you to apparate to Grimmauld Place. Wait one hour if no one else shows up and then alert the Ministry. Everyone got it?"

A series of yeses and yeahs came from the group. They traveled down the hallway looking around. A glow was coming around the edges of one of the doors and they heard voices from inside.

"Where is Narcissa?" a female voice asked.

"She answered the door a few minutes ago. Probably someone from the Ministry," this voice came from a male.

"And Rabastan?" the female asked again.

"He went to…check on the girl," the same male voice answered. Hermione had a sick feeling when she heard that.

Bill, Charlie, and Harry burst through the door first and cast Stunning spells, immediately followed by a second wave of them from Hermione, George, and Ron. Aislin and Willow watched the doorway. Alecto hit the floor, unconscious and Rodolphus started casting back with different spells. A killing curse missed Charlie by centimeters and Rodolphus was taken down by a full body bind from Harry. Shards of dishes flew around the room.

The door to the kitchen swung slightly. Billy nodded his head towards it. He kicked the door open and a streak of green shot through it. The entire group ducked to the floor and Bill and Charlie both cast stunning spells. There was a loud crash of pots and pans hitting the floor. Ron stood up and started casting body bind curses into the room. He saw Amycus fly through the room and hit the wall then fall to the floor, unconscious.

"Bloody hell," Bill said, getting up from the floor and dusting himself off.

"I thought all the Lestranges were dead!" Charlie yelled. "And who the hell are these two?"

"Carrows," Harry said. "They're supposed to be dead, too."

"The Ministry is going to have a fit with this one…" Ron muttered.

"Come on guys! We have to get Ginny!" they heard Hermione yell from the dining room.

"You okay, 'Mione?" Ron pointed to her head when he came back in the room. Hermione reached her fingers up to her forehead and winced when she felt a gash.

"Fine, Ronald. I'll take care of it later."

"There is at least one more lurking around here," Bill said while Charlie did body bind curses on Rodolphus and Amycus. "Be careful, all of you. It's a Lestrange, he's not afraid to use the killing curse."

"We know, Bill," George said, rubbing a bruise appearing on his neck.

Bill peered out into the hallway and motioned for everyone to go. Hermione, George, Aislin and Charlie headed towards the staircase. Harry, Ron, Willow and Bill went to find the door to the Drawing Room where the entrance to the dungeons was.


	21. Chapter 21

**-Chapter 21-**

Harry, Ron, Willow and Bill opened three doors before they found the entrance to what Harry and Ron recognized as the Drawing Room. The door to the outside was open.

"This must have been where the others came in," Bill said, gesturing to the open door. "Why didn't they go down to the dungeons? Hermione would know what room this is."

"She wouldn't have recognized it," Harry said, "she was either being tortured or unconscious when she was in here."

"Right. Where's the entrance?"

"Over here," Ron said, leading the others to a slightly off centered wall panel. Bill blasted a hole in the door since he didn't want to mess with figuring out how to open it. He grabbed the edge of the hole and pulled the door open. Torches in the stairwell immediately lit.

"I'm not risking that door shutting behind us," Bill said. He aimed his wand at the hinges and severed them from the door. The door hit the floor with a loud crash and the four headed down the staircase.

"Good thinking, Bill," Harry said as they descended into the dungeons. "I wouldn't have thought of that."

"That's how you have to think as a Curse Breaker. Aurors think like Dark Wizards, I think like someone who wouldn't want their stuff touched and the hexes they could use to protect it."

...............

Hermione, Charlie, Aislin, and George made their way up the staircase to the first floor.

"Okay, the room will be to the right," Hermione whispered as she lead the way. "Judging by the position of the windows it will be towards the back of the house…"

Charlie, Aislin and George almost had to run to keep up with Hermione who was navigating down a long hallway and making turns left and right. They checked random rooms but each was empty. Hermione went to a window that looked out over the grounds. She leaned her head out of it and looked around.

"Hermione," Aislin panted. "What the hell are you doing?"

"This is the hallway she's on." Hermione pulled her head back in. "There is only one room's length between here and the edge of the house. The window I just looked out faced the front of the grounds so her room will be down that way."

"This is why I play Quidditch for a living and nothing having to do with my brain…"

Hermione started off running for the room she suspected Ginny of being in.

"Hermione wait!" Charlie hissed as he pulled her back. "If she is in there then Rabastan is in around here somewhere. We have to be careful!"

Hermione nodded and the four of them crept slowly down the hallway. Hermione pointed to one of the doors. Just as they were about to reach the door the handle turned and it started to open.

"Put your clothes back on, Weasley girl and keep your mouth shut to Narcissa or it _will_ come back to you."

The man stepped out of the room and closed the door. He turned and was met by the tip of Aislin's wand. George and Charlie were holding Hermione back.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you," Aislin growled, her hair and eyes turned a matching bright red. The man said nothing, he only shook. "_Petrificus Totalus!"_

Rabastan fell to the floor, stiff as a statue. Hermione broke free from George and ran to the door followed by Aislin.

"_Reducto!"_ Hermione shouted.

The door blew open and Hermione and Aislin stepped in and lit up their wands. Aislin stood in the doorway and Hermione ran to the bed where Ginny was curled up with her bare back facing the door. Hermione had to do everything she could not to break down as her hand reached out.

"Ginny…" Hermione whispered. "Oh gods, Ginny…" Hermione's hand met with Ginny's shoulder which was bruised with fingerprints, and the redhead leapt out of the bed and fell to the floor, trying to cover herself.

"Get away from me! Isn't twice enough for one day?" Ginny yelled and scrambled backwards into the wall and curled up into a ball.

"Ginny, it's Hermione! Please baby, I'm not going to hurt you!" Hermione held the lit wand to her face. Ginny looked up and then went limp on the floor. Hermione grabbed the duvet from the bed and covered Ginny. "Charlie! Send the Patronus!" Hermione lifted Ginny to a sitting position and wrapped the duvet around her tight. "Aislin! Come help!"

"I'll come too," George said.

"No. Get back George, right now is not a time when Ginny needs a brother," said Aislin.

"But…"

"No, George. Please just stay out."Aislin ran into the room and knelt down next to Hermione and a shaking Ginny.

"Help me get her out of here," Hermione said.

Aislin and Hermione got on either side of Ginny and lifted her up. Ginny was semi-sort of limp and winced every time she would take a step. They got her out of the room to the dimly lit hallway. Rabastan's body was still on the ground.

"You sick son of a bitch!" Hermione yelled. She kicked him squarely in the ribs. Ginny grabbed onto Aislin when Hermione pulled her wand back out. She aimed it at the body on the ground and silently let him out of the body bind. He coughed and looked around. He got up to his knees, looked at Ginny, and smirked.

"Look at me you sick fuck!" Hermione yelled.

"Who the hell are you?" Rabastan looked at Hermione.

"I'm the Mudblood that killed your sister-in-law. Tell her I said hello, will you?"

"You don't have what it takes to use the killing curse."

"Good thing I have a suitable alternative."

"Hermione you know what Bill said…" Charlie yelled and ran to Hermione but didn't get to her in time.

"_Sectumsempra!" _Hermione wailed, flourishing her wand at Rastaban. He fell back to the floor, screaming and clutching his torso. Blood poured out of his wounds.

"I think that's our cue to go," Charlie said, holding on to Hermione. He nodded at George and with a loud crack Aislin disapparated with Ginny. Charlie and Hermione disapparated second later followed by George.

Hermione rushed to Aislin and Ginny who had landed in the other corner of the sitting room at Grimmauld Place. Charlie lit a fire and the glow filled the room. Moments later Ron, Willow, Harry, and Bill apparated in. They all ambushed Ginny and she shoved away from Aislin and fell to the floor, backing against the wall.

"Get away from her!" Aislin yelled at the Weasley boys and Harry. The men backed off. Ginny clutched on to Hermione, Aislin and Willow stood on either side of them.

"Rabastan…Lestrange…" Hermione choked. "He…Ginny…she…"

"No…" Ron whispered. "No. Hermione, no! I know what that sicko did to Muggle girls…but…not Ginny! Do not fucking tell me that!"

Ron, Harry, and Bill looked at George and Charlie. They both nodded.


	22. Chapter 22

**-Chapter 22-**

Hermione helped Ginny to her feet and took her upstairs with Willow and Aislin.

"What do we do now?" Harry asked the Weasley brothers.

"We didn't really plan that part, did we?" Bill walked around the sitting room.

"I think we should contact the Ministry. Tell them that there are three Death Eaters with body bind curses on them plus the woman that was hiding them and one Death Eater that has probably bled to death," Charlie said.

"What?" Bill thundered. "We agreed that we wouldn't seriously hurt anyone unless it was necessary!"

"Hermione used some spell on Rabastan that basically gutted him from the inside out."

"_Sectumsempra_?" Harry asked, stunned.

"That was the one," George said.

"Yeah, he's probably dead," Harry said. "At least it was self defense." Charlie and George looked away from Harry. "Oh please tell me it was self defense, guys!"

"We had him bound on the floor," Charlie said, "Hermione came out of the room with Aislin and Ginny and then unbound him…then swore at him and used the spell."

"Not as far as I'm concerned," Bill said. "As far as any of us know, the three of you got separated from her through the maze of hallways and he tried to attack her. It was self defense. You got to her just after it happened, got Ginny and then got the hell out."

Everyone nodded.

"I'm going to the Burrow," Charlie said. "Mum needs to know about this…about everything. Ron, you go to the Ministry and tell them what happened."

Ron and Charlie left, Harry, Bill and George sat in the sitting room in silence.

...............

Hermione helped Ginny up the flight of stairs to her room. Ginny sat on the bed and Hermione sat next to her and wrapped her arms around Ginny. Aislin and Willow stood by, nervously.

"Ginny, tell me what I can do. What do you want, tell me and I'll do it," Hermione said.

"Bath…hot water," Ginny mumbled.

"I'll get the water going," Aislin went into the bathroom.

Hermione started to unwrap the duvet from Ginny's shoulders but Ginny pulled it back.

"Don't look at me, Hermione."

"We're going to St. Mungo's after this…I'd rather not be shocked by anything."

"No! No please, Hermione…no…I-I can't," Ginny begged. Hermione held on to her. "Please…I don't want people knowing."

"Ginny, we have to. We have to make sure you're going to be okay. Come on now, let's just get you into the bath."

"N-not you…" Ginny pulled away from Hermione. "I-I don't want you in there."

"Gin…I…"

"No. Just stay here, okay?" Ginny looked at Willow and the smaller redhead walked to the bed and helped Ginny up. They walked into the bathroom and shut the door. Hermione looked at the door, tears in her eyes.

Several minutes passed and Molly Weasley's voice echoed through Ginny's bedroom. "Where is my daughter? Where is she?" Molly burst into the bedroom and Hermione met her with a hug.

"She's in the bathroom. Aislin and Willow are with her. Ginny…sh-she was…"

"I know, dear," Molly said, petting Hermione's head. "Charlie told me. He also told me what you did." Hermione looked at the floor. "Under any other circumstances I wouldn't be pleased but…that vile man deserved what he got."

Hermione nodded. "I agree."

Aislin stepped out of the bathroom.

"She needs clothes. She's still determined not to go to the hospital, hopefully you can talk her into it."

Hermione went to the chest of drawers and pulled out comfortable clothes for Ginny and handed them to Aislin. She went back into the bathroom and she, Ginny, and Willow emerged a few minutes later. They sat on the bed and Hermione stood nearby. Molly knelt in front of Ginny.

"We need to get you to St. Mungo's, all of you," Molly said. "I've already sent the other boys aside from Bill. He said he is going to stay here until Ron gets back. I've asked him to alert St. Mungo's of our arrival."

"Mum I don't know…"

"Ginny," Hermione said, stepping closer to the bed, "please. You really need to get checked out. The Healers need to make sure…"

"I know what they need to make sure of! This is just really humiliating, okay? I didn't fight him! I just laid there and let him fuck me without a fight! I'm a bloody coward!"

"Ginny you are not a coward!" Hermione yelled. "You did what you had to! You are the bravest woman I know."

"Yeah, Gin," Willow said as she hugged Ginny, "from what you told us there's no one in the world that will ever be able to call you a coward."

"They're right, dear," Molly spoke softly. "You've never been a coward and you aren't one now. You're a true Gryffindor, through and through."

"And you need to be that Gryffindor again right now, Ginny," Hermione's voice quivered. "I know this isn't going to be easy but it's something you need to do. All of us will be there, you have nothing to worry about."

Ginny nodded her head. "Fine."

All the women headed downstairs to the sitting room where Bill was talking with two female Mediwizards.

"Hey Gin…" Bill spoke softly when Ginny walked in the room. "They're going to escort you over to the hospital, all right? They wanted to make sure you got in right away."

Ginny nodded.

Ginny was taken to a room immediately upon arrival to the hospital via a St. Mungo's vehicle. It looked something like a Muggle ambulance but the inside was much more comfortable. There were large armchairs and a couch, Ginny stayed between Aislin and Willow for the quick trip.

"Do you want me to stay here when the Healers come?" Hermione asked when Ginny got to her room.

"No."

"O-okay," Hermione said, shocked at Ginny's sharpness.

Molly came in the room from checking on Harry, Charlie, and George.

"The boys are all fine, cuts and bruises are the worst of their injuries. Hermione dear, you really should get that cut cleaned up."

"I'll have a Healer take a look at it later," Hermione said.

A female Healer came in the room with the attendant that Hermione recognized as the one that was on her floor the night Ginny stayed with her.

"Miss Weasley, I'm Trish, this is Dria. I'll be examining you, taking care of any wounds, and answering any of your questions."

Ginny nodded.

"You can have someone stay with you, if you like."

Ginny looked at Willow and nodded. Willow sat on the bed by Ginny and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I'll go check to see if Ron and Bill have arrived yet," Molly said. She kissed Ginny on the top of the head and left the room and so did Aislin.

"Would you like some Calming Draught, Miss Weasley? It seems to help things go a bit more smoothly for the patient."

"O-okay. Yeah."

Trish took a vile out of her pocket and handed it to Ginny who drank it down in one gulp.

"While this is going on, Miss…" the Healer looked at Hermione.

"Oh, Hermione Granger. I'm Ginny's fiancée."

"Miss Granger, someone will get that cut on your head taken care and Dria will come find you when we're done."

Ginny wouldn't look at Hermione and the brunette nodded her head and left the room, almost slamming the door behind her.

Hermione met Aislin in the hallway.

"What did she say to you? Why is she acting like this?" Hermione asked, shaking.

"She…she knows that this will affect you and she doesn't want you to have to go through anything else."

"How could she think that? I don't understand…She didn't tell me anything that happened, why would even looking at her…"

"It's bad, Hermione. She wouldn't fight him and it made him angry…there's more bruise covered skin than not."

"That sick…" but before Hermione could let out the string of swears she had intended a Healer pulled her into a different room and mended her cut. As soon as it was done she ran back to the hallway outside of Ginny's door just in time for Dria to come out and let everyone know it was all right to come back in.

"I've got some potions you need to take," Trish said to Ginny. "Of course we can't make you but it is preferable if you stay the night at least."

"I'll stay."

"Good. I'll be back with your potions then and let your family know that you're all right."

Trish and Dria left the room and Molly came running back in. She sat in the chair by Ginny's bed and Hermione stood on the other side. Ginny dozed on and off as Willow told Molly that her daughter would be okay and would only be spending the night and could be go home the next day.

"I'll ask if Luna and Harry can take Lennox for the night…"

"'Mione…" Ginny groaned. She opened her eyes a bit to look at Hermione.

"Yeah love, I'm right here."

"Go home. Lennox needs you more than I do. Mum can stay with me tonight, I'll be fine."

"No, Ginny, I can stay. It'll be no problem."

"Please Hermione. Do it for me, okay? Right now…right now I just want a little bit of time with Mum."

Hermione nodded. "Do you want me to come back in the morning or wait at the Burrow?"

"You can stay at the Burrow, I plan on leaving as early as possible. No doubt the Ministry is going to come knocking and asking questions first thing in the morning."

"Okay, see you tomorrow morning then."

Hermione leaned over and kissed Ginny on the forehead and then left. Aislin and Willow soon followed and they all Flooed to the Burrow.

"Mum…I don't know what to do," Ginny said after she and Molly were alone.

"What do you mean dear?"

"I don't know what to think…I don't know what to feel. I don't know if I _can _feel. What am I supposed to do?"

"I-I don't know, dear. Perhaps that is something you should ask the Healer. I'm sure whatever you feel or don't feel is normal though."

"Nothing about any of this is normal…I'm not sure any part of my life has ever been. I mean Merlin's beard, I was conceived at the height of a damn war. I should've known my life would never be anywhere close to normal."

"Well what do you think you feel?"

"I don't feel anything. Maybe it's just the Calming Draught but I just don't feel _anything_."

"After a good nights rest I am sure you'll feel better."

The Healer came back in with two glasses.

"Contraceptive and Dreamless Sleep Potion," she said when Ginny looked at them warily. Ginny downed both of them and settled into bed. In no time her eyelids were heavy and she drifted off to sleep.


	23. Chapter 23

**-Chapter 23-**

Hermione paced the kitchen floor the next morning waiting for Ginny and Molly. Everyone who had been at Malfoy Manor was also in the kitchen, awaiting the arrival of the Ministry employees who had told Ron they would be there at nine o'clock to take everyone's story.

"Where are they? Ginny said she wanted to get out as soon as she could…"

"They'll be here, Hermione. Don't worry," Bill said.

There was a knock on the kitchen door just as Hermione's watch chimed the alarm she set for nine. She took a deep breath as Arthur answered the door. Everyone at the kitchen table stood as three Aurors, Harry and Ron's boss included, greeted Arthur and came into the kitchen.

"Mr. Robards," Harry and Ron said in unison as they nodded their heads at him.

"Potter, Weasley. You know Savage and Proudfoot, of course," he said, nodding to the other two Aurors. Harry and Ron nodded. "To bring all of you up to speed on what's happened since last night, we've apprehended four of the suspects. The fifth is deceased." At the sound of the last statement the corners of Hermione's mouth twitched. "Three of them," Robards continued, "the Lestrange and two Carrows, are looking at life in Azkaban as it is since we thought them all dead after the war. We're still trying to figure out how they are still alive. Narcissa is of course facing charges on harboring them."

"Then what do you need from us if they're all going to Azkaban anyways?" Bill asked.

"Mr. Weasley, your cause may have been just but the manner in which you went about saving your sister did break a few laws, albeit minor ones compared to those broken by the ones you captured. And the one fatality, that does need to be cleared up."

"I can clear that up right now," Hermione said. "I did it."

"We'll talk about it in a moment, Miss Granger. To be perfectly honest with all of you, off the record of course, I doubt any of you will be facing punishment because of the fact that you did indeed lead to the capture of three high-profile criminals and their protector."

"Good," George said.

Bill elbowed him and hissed in his hear, "Now is not the time to get cocky, bro. Just go with what they say."

Green flames appeared in the fireplace. Ginny stepped out followed by Molly. Hermione moved to go to Ginny but the redhead held on to her mother and looked at the floor. Hermione's eyes welled with tears.

"Ah, Miss Weasley," Robards turned to her. "If it's all right, we'd like to talk to you."

"Only if Hermione can come with me," Ginny said weakly.

"Normally we'd…not allow it," Savage said. "But I think…considering the circumstances…I think it will be all right. What do you say Robards?"

"Yes, definitely acceptable. Will you take them to a room please, Eva?"

The woman nodded. Ginny broke her grip from Molly and headed to the sitting room followed by Hermione and then the Auror.

"Can you give us a minute?" Ginny asked the Auror before the three of them sat down. The woman had an undecided look on her face. "Please…just a moment."

The Auror nodded and left the two women alone.

"H-how are you, Gin?" Hermione asked, keeping her distance.

"Been better. I just…I need to tell you that before you hear all of this…don't dwell on it. Just let it all go, okay? I'd rather you hear this from me now rather than having to go through it again sometime but I need you to promise me you won't worry about any of it."

"Ginny, in the infamous words of you: how about I decide what I need to worry about."

"Hermione please just let this be my burden. If you can't handle that then I don't want you to know about any of it."

"Ginevra Weasley, listen to me." Hermione stepped forward. "No burden you have to bear will ever be just your own. Just accept that and your life will be quite a bit easier because I won't be nagging at you about it."

"Dammit, Hermione!" Ginny yelled. Hermione backed away. "Why the hell are you doing this?"

"Wh-what?" Hermione's lower jaw quivered.

"Why are you…why can't you just hear all of this and let it go?! I know you'll want to dwell on it but please...please just don't. Just let it all go and I'll deal with it on my own, please! I am only asking you to do that one thing for me."

"What you're asking is the impossible! It doesn't matter whether or not I hear the details about what happened, Ginny…I already know enough. I am already bearing this burden with you. Nothing is going to change that."

Ginny sighed. She couldn't figure out if feeling angry was better than feeling nothing. She looked at Hermione. _"Nothing,"_ she thought. _"How can I look at her and not feel anything? She's standing here…she'll do anything for me…how can I not feel anything?"_

"Tell me you love me, Hermione. Don't…don't just say it like I told you to. Say it…say it like you mean it."

Hermione looked at Ginny, slightly confused. She didn't push it though. She stepped forward again and took Ginny's hands into her own. She looked deep into her eyes.

"I love you, Ginevra."

Ginny closed her eyes to let the words sink in. Before she had a chance to ponder anything Eva came back into the sitting room

"Ladies, I'm sorry to interrupt but we really need to talk about this," Eva said. Ginny nodded and sat on the couch with Hermione, Eva sat in one of the armchairs and took out a Quick Quotes Quill.

"You may start when you're ready, Miss Weasley."

Ginny took a deep breath. Her fingers searched for Hermione's hand and found it. Both held on tight and Ginny stared at the floor and started talking.

"Friday night four cloaked figures attacked me a couple of fields over from the Burrow," Ginny said and pointed in the direction of the field. "I woke up Saturday morning in a dark room. I tried to open the door but the handle was jinxed to shock whoever touched it. Narcissa Malfoy came in…she told me if I didn't cooperate that she would kill me and 'use' Luna instead. I didn't know what she meant but I caved in. I begged her to leave all of my friends and family alone. That man…Rabastan Lestrange…he was…every time I turned on the shower tap he would come in with food or lamp oil or anything. I-It got to be kind of a game, you know? I would turn on the water and he'd come running then get angry when I'd be sitting on the desk when he came barging in."

"Did anyone else ever come in aside from Narcissa and Rabastan?" Eva asked.

"No, I had no idea anyone else was even in the house until Sunday."

"How did you find out?"

"Sunday morning Narcissa woke me up and told me she was going to the Ministry. I tore up a bed sheet and hid it under the duvet on my bed. I waited until I knew Narcissa would be gone then turned the tap on and as expected, Rabastan came running in. I hid behind the bedroom door until he came in, first I kicked him in the groin and then hit him over the head with the tray he brought up then I tied him up with the strips of bed sheet."

"You used no magic on him at all?"

"None. He didn't have his wand."

"Okay, you may continue."

"I am guessing Rodolphus heard the crash. He came up the stairs a few minutes later and I took him out, too."

"You got Rodolphus down without a wand? It took all of us a couple tries to get him down!" Hermione looked at Ginny in shock.

"Miss Granger, I'll ask that you remain quiet for right now," Eva said.

"Of course, sorry."

"It wasn't that hard, really," Ginny said. "I jumped on his back and kept my arms wrapped around his neck until he passed out. Then I used his wand to body bind him. I took a run for it and…and I heard Alecto and Amycus talking." Ginny paused and took a deep breath. "I wasn't just there to be traded for Draco…they talked about the fact that I'm a pure-blood…and that that after Draco go out of Azkaban…the Malfoys wanted a pure-blood heir."

"They insinuated you were to be used to conceive a child?"

"From what I gathered, yeah."

"Okay, continue."

"I didn't know if I could apparate and I didn't want to waste time trying so I just kept running. After that I made it to the door before Alecto caught me and used the _Cruciatus_ curse. She didn't know I had Rodolphus' wand. I surprised her and we dueled for a bit and I got her with _Levicorpus_ then ran outside."

"_Levicorpus?"_

"Yeah…hangs the person up by their ankles. I learned it a long time ago, one of those spells that you learn in the corridors at school, you know?"

"Yes, all right. What happened next?"

"I almost made it to the gate but Amycus caught me with a stunner and took me back up to the room. They tied my hands to the bed then Rabastan…Rabastan and Rodolphus argued for a bit." Ginny stopped and took a few deep breaths.

"Take your time, Miss Weasley."

"I don't understand why I have to talk about this. Rabastan is dead, isn't he?"

"I don't need any vivid details. We just need to know for records."

"Rodolphus left and…I didn't fight Rabastan. He told Rodolphus that's what he liked so I didn't. That…that just made him angrier. He tried to provoke me. He thought if he beat the hell out of me I'd fight back I guess. After…after it was all over he told me that if I said anything to Narcissa he'd kill me."

"Was this altercation purely the provocation?"

"No. After I refused to fight back he went ahead and…he did it anyways. H-he..." Ginny clenched her jaw shut and looked up at the ceiling. "He raped me."

Hermione held on to Ginny's hand even tighter. She swallowed the lump that was growing in her throat.

"Was that the only time?" Eva asked.

"N-no. After he was finished and told me not to say anything he untied me and I dressed. Narcissa saw me at lunch but he was with her so I didn't say anything. She told me she had been to the Ministry and to not expect much out of them. She said they didn't suspect anything and I'd be staying for a while then she gave me some clothes."

"Narcissa always treated you well?"

Ginny scowled. "Apart from having me kidnapped, locking me in a dark room for two days, and plotting to have her son knock me up, yes."

"All right. Continue."

"Rabastan brought me up a dinner tray. He used _incarcerous_ on my wrists and...I didn't fight it again. He tried to provoke me again, the same as the time before. I still didn't fight it. After he finished and left…I heard the door burst open again. I thought he'd come back…I didn't care anymore, I was going to fight him. I yelled and backed against the wall. That was when Hermione found me. I don't remember much, everything moved so quickly. Hermione and Aislin took me to the hallway and I saw his body on the ground…the next thing I remember is being at Grimmauld Place…then at St. Mungo's."

"So Rodolphus knew what was happening and didn't stop it?"

"He knew, yes."

"Did the Carrows know what Rabastan was doing?"

"I don't know."

"Did they use any other Unforgivable curses?"

"No, the _Cruciatus_ from Alecto was the only one."

"Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Weasley. I have all I need for now. I'll…I'll leave you two for a minute while I talk to the other Aurors."

Eva left the room and Ginny continued staring at the floor. Hermione ran her fingers through Ginny's hair.

"You're so brave, Gin. I'm so proud of you."

Ginny shook her head. "I'm a bloody coward, Hermione. I didn't even try to fight him off…"

"Ginny, no! You are not a coward!" Hermione put a hand on Ginny's cheek. "Love, you did what you had to. You are no coward, you are far from it."

"If I hadn't made him angry though…if I hadn't…"

"No! Ginevra, no. This is not your fault. Don't you dare even think that this is your fault. That sicko…no. This was not your fault at all."

Ginny settled her head on Hermione's shoulder and sighed. Eva came back in the room and asked to speak to Hermione alone. The brunette followed the Auror out of the room. After they left Ginny was joined by her Quidditch teammates. They sat on either side of her and Ginny rested her head on Aislin's shoulder while Willow rubbed her back.

"You feelin' all right Gin?" Willow asked.

"I don't know what to feel right now."

"Well," Aislin said with a smile, "maybe hearing that we kicked some French arse at the match on Saturday might cheer you up."

"We missed you though," Willow added.

"That's great to hear, guys. Tell me about it?"

"Okay so they put Davis in your place because the coaches insisted Willow get another shot at Seeker because you said she would, right?"

"Why would they do that? He's a horrible Chaser! He can see the Snitch all right but when it comes to the Quaffle…"

"Yeah, tell me about it," Willow said, "I was close to switching him places! He dropped the damn Quaffle four times!"

"Luckily Trance was on his game though, it took them an hour to score and the only reason they did is because he was dodging a Bludger right as the Quaffle came up."

"He was brilliant though! One of the Quaffles he kicked out of the goal went halfway down the pitch right into Shaw's arms and he had enough of a head start that he got to France's goal all by himself!"

"Willow was brilliant, too!"

"Oh hush it, Aislin! I just did what I had to do, you know?"

"Rubbish! That Snitch was right out in the open and that idiot from France didn't even see it until you had it in your hand! Even I saw it and I was avoiding a Bludger and tossing the Quaffle up to Shaw! I thought the French captain was going to beat their Seeker to a bloody pulp!"

"It wasn't that exciting, really…" Willow blushed and smiled.

"Whatever, you totally rocked it. Coach wants you in next week, too so you know you did something right."

"What was the score?" Ginny asked.

"Two hundred to thirty," Aislin said. "But our score probably would have been doubled if you had been up there with us."

Ginny shrugged her shoulders.

"Are…are you going to come back, Gin?" Willow asked then held her breath.

"I don't want to do much of anything right now."

Willow and Aislin nodded in understanding. Ginny snuggled down with her head on Aislin's lap and her legs on Willow's and dosed off.

Hermione came back to the sitting room an hour later after being interrogated. She smiled at Ginny who was sleeping peacefully.

"How'd it go?" Aislin whispered to Hermione.

"Fine. They're leaving now, we're not allowed to leave the country and all of that. Harry, Ron, and I are on paid leave until further notice."

"Are you going to lose your job?" Willow gasped.

"Doubtful, this is just until everything gets cleared up. Like Robards said, anything we did will be overshadowed by the fact that we caught all of them. _The Daily Prophet_ is going to eat this up and we'll all be made out as heroes."

Ginny roused a bit and moaned. She looked around the room but Hermione was out of her eye line.

"'Mione…where's 'Mione?" Ginny groaned.

"I'm right here, love," Hermione said as she knelt by the couch.

"You said something about your job…did you get sacked?"

"No, Gin. Just on paid leave for a while until this all gets sorted out. Harry and Ron, too."

"Okay." Ginny held out her hand and Hermione took it.

"Do you want anything to eat, love?"

"Not really. I want to go up to my room and lay down I think."

Hermione pulled Ginny up off the couch and went up to the bedroom with her. Much to Hermione's protest Ginny wanted to be alone so the brunette came back downstairs to join the rest of the family. Anyone who hadn't been interrogated was outside with all of the children and Hermione joined the large crowd of adults watching Victoire, Dominique, Lennox, James, and Albus playing together.

"Hey Hermione, we've got to get back to the stadium," Willow said as she hugged Hermione.

"Tell Gin we said goodbye?"

"I will, Aislin. Thank you guys for everything. If I don't see you before then good luck on Saturday." Hermione smiled and hugged Aislin while Willow said goodbye to Ron.

"I think Willow might be around as long as Ron is." Aislin giggled and nodded to the pair. Ron had lifted Willow off the ground and they were at eye level, lips locked. Hermione laughed and shook her head.


	24. Chapter 24

**-Chapter 24-**

It was almost a week before Ginny came out of her room for something other than using the bathroom. After the interrogation she had barred herself in her room, not letting anyone in. Although the trays Hermione would take her at meal time would always appear outside of the door empty the glimpses Hermione would catch of the redhead when she waited outside the door indicated Ginny was eating very little, if any, of it.

Saturday morning Hermione took up Ginny's breakfast tray and knocked at the door. To Hermione's surprise Ginny opened the door before Hermione could set the tray down on the ground. It almost ended up on the floor anyways, the sight of Ginny almost caused Hermione to lose her grip on the tray. Ginny looked like she hadn't slept at all, the dark circles under her eyes could easily be mistaken as bruises, her eyes didn't shine and her muscular figure had lost quite a bit of tone in the short amount of time Hermione figured Ginny hadn't eaten.

"Hi 'Mione," Ginny mumbled.

"When was the last time you ate, Ginny?" Hermione said as she pushed her way into Ginny's room and put the tray on the desk.

"My trays come out empty."

"That doesn't mean anything and you know it. Why are you doing this to yourself?"

"I just haven't felt like eating much. I have eaten, I promise."

"And sleep? I hear you pacing outside on the landing at ungodly hours of the morning." Hermione felt her eyes burning, wanting to well up with tears but she wouldn't let them.

"Some."

"Have some breakfast, okay?"

Ginny nodded and sat down at the desk and ate while Hermione straightened up the bedroom. She changed the sheets and gathered up the random piles of dirty laundry.

"I'm finished," Ginny said as she pushed the half empty tray away from her. "I haven't eaten that much at once in a while so don't push me to eat anymore, okay?"

"Okay love. Do you want to come downstairs?"

"Not really. Would you stay up here though? Maybe we could lay down for a bit?"

Hermione dropped the laundry in the corner and nodded. Ginny curled up on the bed and Hermione followed. They faced each other and Hermione wrapped her arms around Ginny's waist.

"Can I ask you something, 'Mione?"

"Anything, sweetheart, you know that."

"What's it feel like…how do you know you love me?"

"Well…I can't picture my life without you, for starters. You're really good with Lennox…"

"No, that's not what I mean. I mean…what do you _feel_?"

"I smile when I think of you, my heart flutters when you kiss me or touch me…it's something I don't feel when I'm with anyone else. It's really hard to explain…why, Gin?" Hermione looked at Ginny, almost terrified.

"I don't know…I don't…I don't feel…I'm not saying I don't love you, 'Mione. I know I do…I know it is somewhere inside me…"

Hermione held Ginny tighter but the redhead whimpered and pulled away, rubbing her chest.

"Did you use the Bruise-Healing Paste I sent up?"

"Yeah, it worked on some of them. Others not so much. Think maybe you could try?" Ginny sat up and pulled her t-shirt off.

Hermione tried not to let her eyes linger too long at the bruises that still remained or the ridges that were Ginny's ribs sticking out. The older witch nodded and retrieved the jar of paste from Ginny's bedside cabinet. Ginny lay down on her back and Hermione started dabbing the paste on the bruises and gently rubbing it in. She let her lips graze one particularly deep purple bruise before applying the paste.

Ginny whimpered and a tear slid down her cheek. She knew it was Hermione, she could see her and smell her and her touch was light and innocent…but something in her head cried for it to stop. Ginny felt weak for allowing the thought to penetrate her mind, she knew it would though. Every time she tried to think about being with Hermione the flashes of the horror she twice encountered would interrupt her attempts at having happy thoughts.

"Sorry Gin…I couldn't help it…" Hermione said as her fingers massaged the paste into Ginny's skin.

"It's okay…j-just ask me first next time."

Hermione finished with the paste and got Ginny a clean t-shirt from her chest of drawers. The redhead put it on and the material clung to the wet paste. Hermione sat back on the bed with her fiancée and tried to think of what to say.

"H-how are you feeling?" Hermione asked awkwardly.

"I'm not."

"Not what?"

"Feeling. I'm not feeling anything."

"Ginny that's impossible, you have to…"

"No, it really is possible, trust me."

"How is it possible to feel absolutely nothing? Not tired? Not sore? Not angry? Nothing?"

"It's easier than you think when everything you thought you knew about yourself was torn apart in a matter of about thirty cumulative minutes." Ginny stood up and started pacing the floor with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Care to elaborate on that?"

"You know what my last thought was before…before what happened? It was you. I thought to myself that I wouldn't let any of this bother me because at least it was me and not you. I promised myself that after I got out of that wretched place, no matter how long I was there or how long I had to go through any of it, that I wouldn't ever let it bother me. I wouldn't think on it again, I would just come back to you and we'd get on with our lives."

"I…I don't understand how that changes who you are, Ginny. You-you're brave and courageous and…"

"No I'm not! I'm weak! Don't you get it?! I'm a bloody weak fucking coward. I am letting it get to me, every time I try to think about the future and I think about you these images of him just push their way into my brain. I can't control it, I don't know why it happens I just know that I am so weak that I can't even fucking get over a memory!"

"Ginny no one expects you to get over this in just a few days!" Hermione stood up and stopped Ginny from pacing. She cupped the redhead's face in her hands. She could tell Ginny was struggling not to cry. "You-are-not-a-bloody-coward," she spelled out. "It would concern me more if you did get over this in a few days than if you didn't, love."

"It just means I'm weak."

"No, it means that you have a heart. You say you can't feel anything, it's a lie. You just won't allow yourself to."

"You don't know shit about what I can and can't do!" Ginny pulled away from Hermione and continued pacing the room. "I _can't_ feel anything, Hermione. I have tried! I've tried thinking about you and Lennox and the future and _anything_ to try to feel some sort of something for you."

"What do you think of Rabastan? Of what he did to you?" Hermione almost hated herself for what she was doing. She knew from experience though that burying things deep inside and not letting them surface would only make things worse and she wasn't about to let Ginny go through the emotional trauma all over again someday when something reminded her of it.

"Get out of my room," Ginny said. She stopped pacing and balled her fists up at her sides and stared at the wall.

"No."

"Get the fuck out of my room right now, Hermione."

"No."

"Hermione…I am warning you. Get out, now."

"What are you going to do about it? You want to feel something? Then deal with this and stop trying to push me…push it away."

"I'll deal with it however I damn well please!"

"Starving yourself and not sleeping isn't exactly the best way to do that, Ginny!"

"Thanks for that, Miss Know-It-All! Are you an expert in 'psycho-collegry' or whatever the hell that Muggle bullshit is about?"

"Maybe you are a coward, then! Barring yourself up here, not wanting to face a problem head on! I must admit, that is a pretty weak thing to do."

"Get out, Hermione."

"If you want to feel happy then you're going to have to get through this first, not just bury it." Hermione put a hand on Ginny's shoulder and the redhead whipped around, her face a deeper red than her hair.

"So what you're saying is that you want me to be miserable? After everything I just went through you really want me to be more miserable?"

"If that's what it takes for you to get through this then yes."

"You really are a sadistic bitch, you know that?"

"At least being pissed off at me is better than feeling nothing."

"You'd be pissed off if you were being told by your fiancée that she wants you to be miserable!"

"Already there, Gin!"

"Oh so this is about you now, is it? Just…get out. Get the fuck out and don't bother coming back!" Ginny pulled the silver ring off of her finger, turned around, and slammed it down on the desk. The stone broke out of its setting and bounced off the desk and rolled around on the floor. Ginny turned back around, her eyes turning even redder. "Are you fucking deaf? Get-the-fuck-out!"

"You angry at Rabastan for any of this yet or are you just going to keep yelling at me?"

"Stop talking about him you fucking Mudblood!"

Hermione gasped and her jaw dropped. "What...what did you just...No! I don't care what the hell you say to me right now Ginny. This is about you. You can't do this! Rabastan Lestrange took from you a lot that you're never going to get back but one thing I will not allow him to do to you is make you afraid of feeling anything!""

"What the fuck does it take to get you out of here!?"

It had been a while since Hermione had felt the sharp pain of the palm of someone's hand making quick contact with her cheek. She brought her fingers up to her cheek, the skin was hot to the touch. Her momentary shock was broken by the repeating sound of Ginny's fist making contact with the solid wood bedroom door and then the sobs of the redhead as she collapsed to the floor holding her hand and swearing and crying.

Hermione knelt down behind Ginny and put a hand on the hysterical redhead's shoulder. Ginny cried harder. Hermione sat in the floor and wrapped her arms around Ginny and sat silently. She didn't know how much time passed, she guessed it was at least an hour but when it was over with Ginny had run out of tears. Her face was red, her eyes swollen. Ginny was exhausted, she lay back against Hermione who hadn't once moved. Ginny let out an occasional sob, Hermione would simply squeeze her tighter. She summoned a handkerchief from the bedside cabinet and gently cleaned off Ginny's face.

"I'm…so…sorry…Hermione…" Ginny managed to get out between sniffles and sobs.

"I'm sorry too, baby." Hermione moved one of her arms to hold on to Ginny's bruised and bloody hand. The redhead winced in pain. "I should've used _spongify_ on that door."

Ginny turned around and brushed her other hand across Hermione's cheek which was now a shade of bright pink. "I d-didn't m-mean to..."

"We'll talk about it later."

"N-never again. I p-promise."

"We'll worry about it later. Right now I think we need to see what your mum can do with your hand."

Ginny nodded and Hermione stood up. She pulled Ginny up with her. Their faces were only centimeters apart. Before Hermione could think anymore about boundaries and which lines she might cross she felt Ginny's lips against hers for a brief moment before the redhead walked to her bed and sat down. Without a word Hermione went downstairs and fetched Molly to take a look at Ginny's hand.

Molly came up to Ginny's room with her wand, a bowl, bandages, and a bottle of Murtlap Essence. She held out Ginny's hand and aimed her wand at the bloody mess.

"_Episkey," _she said. Ginny jumped and whimpered when she felt the bones she had broken snap back into place. The bruises lightened a bit and the bleeding slowed. Molly poured some of the Murtlap Essence into a bowl and Ginny soaked her hand while Molly gathered the pile of dirty laundry Hermione had dropped in the floor.

"Thanks Mum," Ginny mumbled.

Molly patted Ginny on the head and smiled. "Would you like to join us for lunch today, dear?"

"I don't know. Who will be here?"

"Just the four of us and Ron, he'll be passing through on his way to the stadium for this afternoon's match."

"Okay. I-I'll come down."

"I'll set you a place then. Lunch will be ready in a few minutes, come down when you're ready."

Hermione and Ginny nodded and Molly left the room with the pile of laundry. Hermione sat next to Ginny on the bed.

"I hate him, 'Mione. I hate him for what he did…not just to me but to all the girls he did that to. I hate him for making me hate myself."

Hermione nodded and wrapped an arm around Ginny's back. "He can't hurt anyone anymore."

"Wh-what exactly did you do to him?"

"_Sectumsempra_."

"Did he suffer?"

"From what I saw before we disapparated, yes."

"Good."


	25. Chapter 25

**-Chapter 25-**

After a quick repairing charm on Ginny's ring to re-attach the stone and wrapping up the redhead's hand, Hermione and Ginny made their way down the rickety staircase to the kitchen of the Burrow. Ron was waiting at the kitchen table, Lennox was being held in Ron's lap and he squealed when he saw Ginny. Ron's mouth gaped open when he saw the state his little sister was in but he didn't say anything, just composed himself and managed a smile. Hermione took the place at the table across from Ron, Ginny on Hermione's right.

"Here's a sandwich for you, dear," Molly said putting a plate in front of Ginny. "Your father's gone to the Ministry to do some work but he'll be back later.

"R-Ron…" Ginny pushed the ketchup around on her plate with one of her chips. "What's going to happen? With all of the Death Eaters and all of us…with our jobs?"

"All of them are guaranteed life in Azkaban, no doubt. All of our jobs are going to be safe but until it all gets sorted out and the trials are over with then those of us working for the Ministry will be on paid leave. Charlie's found an assignment rounding up a colony of dragons they found around Bristol so he doesn't have to leave the country but he can keep working until the trials are over with."

"What about Aislin and Willow? If they win against France today the next match will be…"

"Portugal. The Department of Magical Games and Sports is working with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to make sure they get to play if things aren't settled before then. If Portugal hadn't crushed the States then there's no way they'd get to play since it would involve going across the ocean to get there but as it looks right now they should be able to go."

"Gin," Hermione spoke softly, "I don't know if you've thought about it or not…"

"I don't know if I am going back yet, Hermione. Obviously it depends on how things go today. Ron, what about Draco's trial?"

"Monday afternoon. I've talked to the Ministry and they're willing to take your testimony in writing if you don't feel like going but you'll need to have it written by the time the rest of us go in."

"I'll think about it."

"I found out something really interesting about all of this from some of the Wizengamot members I've kept in contact with, I was telling Harry and Luna the other day," Ron said, "if Draco gets life in Azkaban then Malfoy Manor won't have anyone to be passed to. When Lucius went into Azkaban this last time he knew he would get life and made sure absolutely everything was in Narcissa's name and her name only. Since she'll be sharing a cell with her husband, by law, everything goes to the next closest blood-relative of hers which just happens to be Andromeda Tonks even though she was disowned from the Black family."

Ginny looked dumbfounded. "That's…Ron those people have more money than…Does Andromeda know?"

"She does. They've of course been searching for loopholes to make sure no one else can claim it but yeah…Andromeda is looking at getting Malfoy Manor plus more money than she'll ever be able to spend."

"Did she say what she plans to do with all of it?"

"She's waiting until Draco's trial to decide. I…I hate to say it but because we caught those other Death Eaters, Draco now has a strong defense. He can claim that any one of them put the _Imperius_ curse on him and they'll back up the story because they're all getting life in Azkaban anyways so they have nothing to lose by making a false confession."

"What about Harry's opinion though?" Ginny asked. "The man is a human lie detector, surely what he has to say will matter?"

"I wish it was that easy but first and foremost is that Harry is a witness, way too involved with the case for most of them to think he'll be an objective observer. Second, his dislike of the Malfoy family is pretty well known still."

Ginny growled and pushed her plate away. "I'm done, Mum," she said.

"Ginny, you've barely taken a bite…" Hermione said.

"I said I'm done, 'Mione."

"Sweetheart, we just talked about this. Please…"

"If I get sick you're the one that's holding my hair back."

"I can handle that."

Ginny pulled her plate back and nibbled at her chips and chicken salad sandwich. Everyone finished their lunches in silence. Ron apparated to the stadium soon after and the two Weasleys and two Grangers settled into the sitting room to listen to the final England vs France Quidditch match. Hermione and Ginny sat on the loveseat. Ginny's hand found Hermione's and she laid her head on the brunette's shoulder.

"_It's a beautiful day Saturday afternoon here in England! It's the seventeenth of June and we are gearing up for an exciting final match of England against France. Each team has won a match and this is the deciding meeting that will determine who goes on to play Portugal in the next round! England's starting team remains the same as last week: Willow Rose, the replacement Captain, starts as Seeker; Aislin Kelly, Vaughn Shaw, and Jacob Davis as our Chasers; Beaters Heddwyn Reilly and Phil Harris and Keeper Trance Ellis. We've had letters pouring in asking about England's Captain and usual starting Chaser since she was absent for the last match and is not on the starting team this week. We have yet to get an exact explanation for her absence but from what we have heard she is currently recovering from an unidentified illness and we wish her the best."_

"Was there nothing in _The Daily Prophet_ about anything that happened last weekend?" Ginny asked.

"There was," Hermione said, "the writer that has been assigned to cover all of this owes Harry a few favors though so when Harry told him not to look into it he didn't. Right now the only things that the general public knows are that there was a raid conducted by the Ministry and an unidentified hostage was recovered as well as all of the Death Eaters. Right now very few people aside from all of us know it was you."

"Oh."

"If you want people to know…"

"No. Not yet…maybe if I write an autobiography someday or something."

"Okay love."

"_The Quaffle is up! England's Aislin Kelly takes possession and speeds up the pitch…"_

The match went on for nearly three hours. At each score and each near-collision Ginny would jump or gasp. At one point when the score was 70-30 with England up and Aislin scored yet another goal Hermione's heart jumped when she noticed a small smile on Ginny's face.

"_Willow Rose has dove to the bottom of the pitch! She is being followed closely by Lefebvre, they're both speeding along down the middle of the pitch. Rose ducks a Bludger! She's nearly a meter in ahead of Lefebvre and her lead is increasing, she is really flying! Rose reaches out, she lurches to the right…to the left…she takes a swipe and…Yes! She's got it! Willow Rose catches the Snitch and England is moving on to the next round of the Quidditch World Cup! Her teammates are crowding her on the pitch now, raising her up on their shoulders! What a fantastic win for England!"_

Ginny's face lit up and she threw her arms around Hermione, momentarily forgetting everything that had happened barely a week before. Her heart raced and she felt the closest to happy she had felt in days. Ron appeared in the kitchen with a loud crack, his already huge smile got even bigger when he saw his little sister's face and the smile on it.

"That was bloody amazing! Gin I wish you had been there, you should've seen Willow fly! I've never seen anyone fly like that!"

"Are you just saying that because you're dating her?" Hermione teased.

"Oh hush it, 'Mione!" Ron blushed and took a seat in one of the armchairs. "What did you think, Gin? From what you heard anyways."

"I think if I don't go back Aislin and Vaughn might try to kill Jacob. He dropped the Quaffle what, six times? That's why I put him in as a Seeker, he's only got to catch it once."

"So you are going to go back?" Hermione slipped her fingers through Ginny's hair.

"I think so. I've got time to decide. What do you think?"

"I think you need to do whatever is best for you right now, Gin. If Quidditch is going to help you then by all means, hop on a broom."

Ginny nodded and laid her head back on Hermione's shoulder. Lennox crawled up on the loveseat and settled himself on Ginny's lap.

"Why didn't you wait at the pitch for Willow?" Molly asked her son while she collected the teacups.

"I knew she'd want to be with the team. Plus I am taking her out to dinner tonight, she's going to meet me here later."

"That's wonderful, dear. I like this one, you should hold on to her."

"I plan on it, Mum," Ron said with a smile. He took the stack of teacups from this mother and took them into the kitchen.

"Ginny," Molly said, "perhaps the three of your might like to go for a walk. The weather is beautiful this afternoon."

"What do you say, love? Get out of the house a little?"

"I wanna go outside!" Lennox squealed and hopped down off Ginny's lap. He grabbed onto her hand and pulled with all of his might towards the door.

"I can't really say no to that now can I?"

Ginny and Hermione walked around the Burrow hand in hand watching Lennox run in front of them, stopping to pick flowers or inspect bugs in the grass. There were occasional loud bangs and puffs of smoke that came from the clearing across the river.

"You'd think they would take a break on the weekends," Ginny groaned.

"Now love, we don't know what the circumstances are of the family that might be moving in. Maybe they want it done by a certain time."

"I just hope for Mum and Dad's sake it's someone they can tolerate. I wonder what kind of house they're building."

"Well…I did wander over there one day to look around. It seems like it will be a rather nice house. A basement, ground floor and first floor. Not too big but not small, either. Nice and modest."

"Sounds nice."

Lennox wandered over to the broom shed and carefully inspected it. He looked at Ginny then back to the small structure, then to Ginny again.

"Merlin's beard…" Hermione muttered. "He's been going on and on about wanting to fly 'just like Ginny'. Harry hasn't helped matters any, you would think a grown man wouldn't side with a three-year-old."

"This is Harry we're talking about, 'Mione. He's been taking the twins up since they could walk."

"What? No he hasn't! Luna would kill him!"

"Why do you think Luna doesn't know? When they come out here she always goes into the village to her favorite shop. While she's gone Harry takes turns flying with the twins."

"Ugh…that man, I swear! He's worried about the trouble they're going to cause at Hogwarts but he's grooming them for it!"

"Flying around isn't grooming them to cause trouble."

"It is when he does it behind their mother's back."

Lennox walked back over to Ginny and Hermione and looked at Hermione.

"Can I fly Mama? Please?"

"It's not up to me sweetie. Ask Ginny."

"You sure, 'Mione?"

"As long as you stay away from trees or anything other than open space, don't go too fast or too high. Is there any way to strap him to you?"

"He'll be fine, promise."

Ginny walked over to the broom shed and opened the door. She pulled out her Nimbus and held it in her hands. Harry had repaired it; the serpent that was carved in it was no longer visible. Her eyes ran up and down the handle. Ginny was startled when Hermione gently put a hand on her shoulder.

"You don't have to, Gin."

"I just need to go alone for a couple minutes, get my footing again."

Ginny mounted the broom and took off, flying in circles around the Burrow. She stopped in front of a nervous Hermione and an excited Lennox. Hermione picked him up and got him situated on the broom in front of Ginny who wrapped an arm around him and kicked off again. He held on to the broom and Ginny made low, slow circles around the Burrow. Lennox was squealing with delight as Hermione looked on nervously. Ron came out of the Burrow and watched with Hermione.

"I think you've got yourself a natural," he said.

"He's only three, Ron."

"Yeah I know but he looks really comfortable, good grip, moves with the broom well. If he keeps it up he'll have a spot on Gryffindor's team his first year!"

"Who says he'll be in Gryffindor? I could easily see him in Ravenclaw. That's where the Sorting Hat wanted to put me at first, you know?"

"Really? I didn't know that…can you imagine what would've happened if you hadn't been there to nag Harry and me about rules and all that rubbish?"

"You would've been expelled your first week, no doubt."

"Probably. You know…I don't think I ever thanked you for saving my arse all those times."

"As long as it doesn't involve you getting drunk and attempting to…"

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Look…just…if there's anything I can do…I mean, I don't have much to offer but you know I'd do anything for you and Gin."

"Well we are trying to figure out how we're going to have our own children…"

"Wh-what?!"

Hermione laughed. "I'm kidding, Ronald."

"Oh…oh thank God! Oh man. That…you're evil!" Ron started laughing. There was a loud crash and a huge puff of smoke from the clearing.

"What the hell do they think they're doing over there?!" Hermione squealed. "I swear if they mess that up someone will pay!"

"What do you care if they mess up?"

"Because it's my house they're building. Mine and Ginny's."

"Are you serious? Since when?"

"I bought the land after Ginny left for Peru last month and Harry got Three Phoenix Construction to start building right after that."

"They're good, they were one of the builders on the Azkaban addition and refurbishing."

"Ginny doesn't know about any of this so I would appreciate your silence, please Ron."

"Of course, 'Mione."

Ginny landed in front of Ron and Hermione and Lennox hopped off the broom and ran around excitedly. Ginny put her broomstick back into the shed and the four walked around the Burrow. Willow apparated in and she and Ron took Lennox into the Burrow with them at Ginny's request. Ginny lead Hermione into the thin patch of forest by the river and when they got to the familiar large tree that the two women had spent so many summer mornings under Hermione sat down and leaned against it, Ginny joined her and lay back against the brunette, resting her head on her fiancée's chest.

"I remember the first morning we came down here together," Ginny said.

"Me too. George tricked me with his love potion last year; it was the exact same smell as that morning. Well, that and um…the morning after our first Christmas together."

"That was a good Christmas."

"The best."

"I've never come down here without you since then. Not alone, not with anyone else."

"I love you, Ginny. I know you said you weren't sure…that you couldn't feel it. But I want you to know that I'm not giving up on us. I won't. Not again."

"I'm not giving up, either. I just need time."

"I know, love."


	26. Chapter 26

**-Chapter 26-**

Sunday morning Hermione awoke with a smile. There was a mess of fiery red hair on the pillow next to hers and her fiancée was sleeping peacefully. Hermione was startled when something stirred at the foot of the bed only to see Lennox curled up in a ball with the blanket he had obviously dragged in from his room across the hall.

Monday morning, however, was not as pleasant. The mood in the Burrow was rather serious as Hermione and Ginny dressed to go to the Ministry for Draco's trial.

"You're sure about this, Gin?" Hermione asked as she brushed through Ginny's hair.

"I don't exactly have time to write out a testimony before you leave. This will be easy compared to giving it last week about Malfoy Manor."

"Well yes..."

"I can handle it, 'Mione. I want to be there. If he's convicted I want to be able to celebrate it. If he's not I want to be able to kill him. It's quite like when I had every intention of killing Bellatrix before _someone_ decided to risk her life and step in front of me." Ginny turned around with a smile and brushed her fingers on Hermione's cheek. "What about you? You're the one he attacked; I should be the one asking you if you're sure about all of this."

Hermione sighed. "I've tried not to think about it, actually. Knowing you'll be there gives me courage though. And as long as you tell me when you're going to kill him so I can help you out then I have no problem with it."

"Fine, but we take equal credit for this one."

"Works for me."

The women went downstairs where Harry and Luna were waiting by the fireplace, ready to Floo to the Ministry. Willow and Aislin were in the sitting room with the Potter twins and Lennox, Molly was standing at the stove preparing breakfast for the kids. Arthur was already at the Ministry.

"We're leaving, Mum," Ginny said. Molly hurried over and gave each of them a hug before they all departed to the Ministry. They met Ron in the Atrium and the five proceeded to the court room on Level 10. Arthur was waiting outside to wish them all the best.

The entire Wizengamot was already present, Kingsley Shacklebolt sat behind the podium in a large chair. Ron, Luna, Harry, Ginny, and Hermione filed in and sat on a bench along the wall to the right of a singular chair that was in the center of the room.

Hermione slipped her fingers in between Ginny's and held on tight as Draco was brought into the room looking very disheveled. He struggled against the Aurors that held on to him until he spotted the five people on the bench in the room. His eyes fell on Ginny.

"Did you have fun at…"

One of the Aurors silenced him before he could say any more. Ginny noticed it was the woman she had talked to at the Burrow after she was brought home from St. Mungo's. Draco was chained to the chair in the middle of the room.

Shacklebolt rose and stood at his podium.

"This hearing is in session," his voice echoed through the room. "Today, in this session of the Wizengamot on the twenty-sixth of June, we will hear the case of Draco Malfoy who has been accused of breaking and entering, using the Cruciatus curse on one victim, Miss Hermione Granger, and holding Miss Granger and six others hostage; Auror Harry Potter, Mrs. Luna Potter and their two underage sons James and Albus Potter, Auror Ronald Weasley, and Miss Ginevra Weasley. All adult parties are present here today and prepared to give testimony. Mr. Malfoy has refused his right to bring forth witnesses and has entered a plea of not guilty by reasoning that he was under the _Imperius_ curse at the time of the attack. In light of events that have recently taken place it has been decided to allow Mr. Malfoy to resubmit his testimony if he wishes to give the name of the person who he claims placed him under the _Imperius_ curse. Mr. Malfoy?"

Harry saw Draco's eyes dart to Ginny and then back to Shacklebolt. Harry put his hand on Ginny's shoulder.

"Rabastan Lestrange," Draco said with confidence. There was a soft buzz of voices that went through the Wizengamot.

Ginny turned red and held her breath. Hermione squeezed her hand even tighter and her other hand reached over to Ginny's shoulder. Harry gave Ginny's other shoulder a squeeze and leaned over to her.

"Do you want to leave?" Harry whispered.

Ginny shook her head no and straightened herself up.

"Are you all right, love?" Hermione asked.

Ginny shakily nodded yes.

"Tell us if you want to go, okay?"

Ginny nodded again and Hermione and Harry went back to looking at Draco who had started speaking.

"…after dinner my mother told me that Rabastan had a job for me to do. When I asked him about it I just remember him aiming his wand at me. I don't remember anything after that except waking up in Azkaban."

Harry twitched. Luna leaned over to him.

"Lying?"

"Yes," Harry hissed.

"Mr. Malfoy this will be considered," Shacklebolt said. Malfoy's chair moved itself to the opposite side of the room from the bench and another chair, minus the chains, appeared in the center of the room. "Auror Ronald Weasley. Please step to the center of the room and have a seat."

Ron did as he was told and moved to the chair.

"Were you present at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place on the twenty-fifth of May of this year?"

"I was."

"Please tell us what events occurred that evening."

"Hermione and Ginny were upstairs in Ginny's room on the first floor, I had just come down from having a talk with them. Hermione's son, Lennox, he was telling Harry he had to use the loo so Harry took him upstairs. I was in the sitting room with Luna and her and Harry's sons, James and Albus. Luna was saying she was going to go down to the kitchen to get some peanut butter but before she could stand up five cloaked figures apparated into the room."

"And what was your immediate reaction?" one of the Wizengamot members asked.

"I pulled out my wand, stupefied one of them and was aiming for another until I saw Draco aiming his wand at Luna. He threatened me, told me if I didn't drop my wand and sit back down he'd kill her. Luna…she told me not to do it. I wasn't going to but when I saw two of the other men each had one of the twins, James and Albus, I dropped my wand. They set the boys on the couch with Luna and I sat in one of the armchairs. The Potter's house elf, Vincent, came upstairs and one of the figures stunned him and tied him up."

"Did you recognize any of the others aside from Mr. Malfoy?" another member inquired.

"I recognized Gregory Goyle. The other three I didn't."

"What was Mr. Malfoy's appearance and demeanor?" another member asked.

"He was clean cut, well groomed. He didn't appear to have done this in haste, it looked planned."

"Have you ever seen someone under the influence of the Imperius curse?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. She muttered something under her breath about obvious questions.

"Of course, several times."

"Did Mr. Malfoy appear to exhibit the behaviors of someone under it?" the same member asked.

"No. His movements and language suggested he was acting all on his own."

"Were Auror Potter, Miss Weasley, or Miss Granger present for any of this?" yet another member inquired.

"Not yet. Harry came into the room shortly after they all arrived and Malfoy started threatening us, saying he wanted to get his father out of Azkaban. We told him repeatedly that it wasn't up to us, just because we worked for the Ministry didn't mean we had the power to break someone out of prison."

"Did he use the _Cruciatus_ curse on anyone?"

"Not at that point, no." Ron remained calm and continued talking. "Goyle did though. I told Draco he was a disgrace and he gave Goyle the okay to cast the curse at me. Ginny and Hermione appeared in the doorway and they both tried to stun Draco. He stupefied Ginny and then threatened Luna again if Hermione didn't drop her wand. After he threatened the twins again though Hermione did listen to him. He continued talking about wanting his father out of prison and when Harry tried to reason with him he used the _Cruciatus_ curse on Hermione."

Hermione twitched and Ginny squeezed her hand.

"How long did that last?"

"Only a few seconds."

"Was that the only time?"

"No. After Hermione yelled at him he did it again. That time it lasted at least three or four minutes before the Ministry arrived."

"Auror Weasley," a tall, slender Wizengamot member with a menacing look on his face rose. "Is it true that you and the four other witnesses have had previous contact with the Malfoy family?"

"Yes."

"What were the instances of that contact?"

"Draco, Harry, Hermione, and myself were all in the same year at Hogwarts."

"Were you friendly with Mr. Malfoy at that time?"

"No. Although during the second war we saved his life twice at the Battle of Hogwarts."

"Any other occurrences with the family?"

"They captured, Harry, Luna, Hermione and I and kept us hostage at Malfoy Manor in 1998. Hermione was tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange while Narcissa and Draco stood by and watched."

"Did you ever want revenge?"

"Revenge was served in the final Battle at Hogwarts."

"What about recent events, _Auror_ Weasley?" The man emphasized Ron's title in a condescending tone.

"That's enough, I think," Shacklebolt said. "Auror Weasley has given us his account of the event that is currently being discussed."

"Of course, Minister."

"You may step down, Weasley. Wizengamot calls Mrs. Luna Potter to give testimony."

Ron took his place back on the bench and Luna quietly took his place in the center chair.

Ginny leaned over to Harry.

"Who is that? That man that asked Ron about the Malfoys?"

"Supposedly a reformed Death Eater. Scadley. Shacklebolt's been trying to get rid of him since his first day in office but he's shown no reason to do so."

"Does he know about me?"

"Most of the Law Enforcement department does now so yeah, probably."

"Bloody wonderful."

"Don't worry, even if _The Daily Prophet_ gets information they won't print it without our permission. More specifically my permission. I've got friends there that owe some favors."

The morning dragged on as Luna, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny answered questions for the Wizengamot. Harry was of course asked about his personal feud with Draco from when they were in Hogwarts and Harry's "pure hatred for Death Eaters". Questions for Hermione and Ginny both started out questioning their relationship with each other since "it is difficult for those involved with each other to be objective" as Scadley said. Everyone could tell the members were getting restless having to listen to almost the exact same story five times. Shacklebolt acted right on cue after Ginny's testimony to stop Scadly from asking any further questions. When Ginny, the last to testify, sat back on the bench in her place between Harry and Hermione she was shaking.

"You did fantastic, sweetheart," Hermione said. She kissed Ginny's forehead and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"So did you 'Mione," Ginny said as she heaved a sigh. "What do you think, Harry?"

"I don't know," Harry said. "Obviously there's a good outlook from the standpoint of people being coerced and paid off with Narcissa behind bars but who knows who she could've gotten to take care of that for her."

The Wizengamot members whispered among themselves and compared notes. Ginny and Hermione held on to each other. Hermione kept Ginny focused on her when the redhead started to turn pale. Harry conjured up a goblet of water and Ginny drank the cool liquid.

"I'm all right," she said. "I probably shouldn't have skipped breakfast this morning, is all."

"I'm sure your mother already has lunch ready."

Wizengamot members started scribbling on pieces of parchment that floated onto Shacklebolt's podium.

"Harry," Hermione leaned across Ginny, "I thought they voted by a show of hands or whatever?"

"Not anymore. Shacklebolt thinks it's better to have it done anonymously because of a problem with members being attacked right after the war when they voted in favor of convicting the Death Eaters."

The parchments on the podium shuffled around and separated themselves into two piles. Shacklebolt looked through them and with a puff of smoke the two piles became one large sheet.

"Move Mr. Malfoy back to the center of the room, please," Shacklebolt said. The chair moved back to the center of the room by itself. Hermione pulled Ginny in as close as she could with the arm that was wrapped around her shoulders and Ginny held onto Hermione's free hand with her own.

"Mr. Malfoy, are you prepared to hear the decision of the Wizengamot in this case against you?"

"Yes," Draco answered, his jaw clenched shut.


	27. Chapter 27

**-Chapter 27-**

"Draco Malfoy, it is by majority vote of this court that you have been found guilty of all crimes in which you have been accused. It is the collective opinion of those that voted in your conviction that you acted of your own accord based on the testimonies given here today. Under Wizard Law regarding the punishment of the use of any of the three Unforgivable Curses you are hereby sentenced to life in the high security ward of Azkaban Prison. This session of the Wizengamot is dismissed."

Shacklebolt pounded his gavel on the podium and the members dispersed. The two Aurors that brought Draco in unchained him from the chair and dragged him, kicking and screaming, out of the courtroom. Hermione and Ginny held each other tight and kissed. After a series of hugs by the group they were headed out of the courtroom when Shacklebolt stopped them at the door.

"Minister, sir," Harry said, "how are you?"

"Doing fine, Harry. And I've been telling you for years now that you can call me Kingsley or Shacklebolt."

"Sorry, sir, I guess I just hear it enough that I forget."

"Have you three heard from your superiors this weekend?" he asked, referring to Hermione, Ron and Harry.

"No," they answered collectively.

"Ah! Remind me to yell at someone for that! There was a special closed session of the council on Friday evening, top secret. We looked over the statements you gave the Aurors after the incident last weekend, and while the council agreed that you did break several laws in your adventure it was decided that charges will not be brought forth."

"Thank you, sir," Ron said with a smile.

"I'm not finished, Weasley."

"Sorry, sir."

"There were those few who wanted to see some kind of discipline brought forth so to pacify them it was further decided that the three of you are suspended, with pay, until the first of July…so I'll see all of you back here in a week." Shacklebolt smiled and clapped Ron on the shoulder. "And your travel restrictions have been lifted. Might I suggest you all come to Portugal for the World Cup match this weekend? It promises to be exciting, does it not Captain Weasley?"

Ginny smiled and nodded. "Of course, sir."

"Fantastic. I'll make sure everyone else involved gets their official letters today."

"Shacklebolt, I'm sure it's not really information you're allowed to provide but I was wondering about the trials of the other four," said Harry.

"Ah, yes. Those will be coming up this afternoon, closed session of course despite _The Daily Prophet_ protesting that this is an important case and all of that. Really Narcissa is the only one the council is undecided on. Not whether or not she should go to Azkaban, just for how long. I'll send you an owl tonight, how's that? It will be in _The Prophet_ right away as it is so it won't do any harm in you knowing."

"Thank you, sir. Send the owl to The Burrow, I plan on being there tonight."

"If he's not we'll be there," Hermione said.

"All right well all of you take care. Maybe I will see you this weekend, have a good week off!" Shacklebolt said as he turned and exited the courtroom.

Hermione and Luna took Ginny up to the atrium and Flooed to the Burrow right away because she was feeling ill. Ron and Harry went to see Arthur. When they got to the Burrow the women were halfway through lunch already and Ginny was feeling better. When Ron and Harry stepped out of the fireplace Willow greeted Ron by leaping into his arms and the two of them got lost in each others lips.

"Oy! Do you two have to snog in front of me?" Ginny asked mockingly.

"Yeah you two, can't it wait?" Hermione laughed.

"Funny guys, really funny!" Ron said as he set Willow back down.

"Hey, we took it from you for how long? It's only fair that we get a little bit of a payback," Ginny said.

During lunch letters arrived for Aislin and Willow informing them of their travel ban being lifted. Afterwards Ron, Harry, Ginny, Aislin, and Willow put together a game of Quidditch outside while Hermione and Luna helped Molly in the kitchen.

"How is Ginny doing, Hermione?" Luna asked.

"As good as can be expected I suppose. It's only been since Saturday that she's shown any improvement. At least she's eating again and she slept all night Saturday night. Last night she was pretty restless but I think it was just nerves about today, I didn't sleep well either."

"That's good. Oh my!" Luna held on to her stomach. "This one…this one loves to move."

"How's it going? Is this one any easier than the twins?"

"A bit since I know what to expect. Harry wanted to rush me off to St. Mungo's every time either one of the boys gave me a good kick in the ribcage. I'm not fond of the hospital as it is, they really should put in a maternity wing rather than sending us all to the Artifacts Accidents ward. That was probably the number one reason I did the birth at home."

"Best way to do it anyways," Molly said. "I had all seven here at home. Only one that gave us any concern was Ginny."

"Really? She never told me that," Hermione said as she put the dishes away.

"She's been a fighter since day one, which came nearly four weeks earlier than expected. She was small but feisty. She was only a few hours old the first time Ron saw her and she gave him a good right hook to the nose."

"So she has literally been beating Ron up since the day she was born? And here I thought she was exaggerating!" Hermione laughed.

"You'll have your hands full if you want children with Weasley blood, that's for sure."

"I'll love every minute of it," Hermione said. "We're still working on how to go about all of it though. I mean you know...obviously we can't...yeah."

"You have plenty of time, dear."

"Possibly. Honestly I'd like to try right away so that Lennox can have siblings at least somewhat close to his age. He'll be at least four by the time any of them are born."

"How is the house going?" Luna asked.

"I haven't been over there since last week, they were finishing up the outside walls then. They've said construction should be done by the first of August so I figure after decorating I should be able to move in by the middle of August. How about yours?"

"Wonderful. Harry's having the original house re-built on to something a little more suitable for the whole family. They've cleared out a spot and have started building a nice space for when I get _The Quibbler_ going again. I'm hoping Ginny won't be too busy at _The Prophet_ and she'll write a bit for me."

"It sounds delightful, Luna. I'm sure Gin would be more than happy to write for you if she has the time."

"Ron, that Quaffle totally went in!" Ginny yelled as the group walked in from their game.

"It did not!"

"Sorry Ron, Ginny is right."

"Hey, you're supposed to be on my side!"

"Just because I'm your girlfriend doesn't mean I have to agree with everything you say!"

Ron grumbled and everyone took seats at the kitchen table. Hermione and Luna passed around glasses of lemonade.

"Will all of you be staying for dinner?" Molly asked.

"We wouldn't want to be any trouble Mrs. Weasley."

"Nonsense, Aislin dear! I've got a couple of chickens that need to be used, we'll have roast chicken and vegetables. Why don't all of you go up to the village while I get everything done? Maybe go up to the bakery and bring back some nice desserts, they have wonderful pies."

There was a collective agreement from everyone but Ginny. The redhead stayed seated at the kitchen table.

"You comin' Gin?" Willow turned to ask.

"No, I'm pretty tired. I think I'll just stay here and relax for a while. You guys have fun though."

"Willow," Hermione pulled her aside while Harry Flooed out with one of the twins, "I really honestly hate to ask this of you but would you mind taking Lennox with you and keeping an eye on him? I want to stay here with Ginny."

"Of course Hermione, it's not a problem at all. Ron is really good with him, it's kind of adorable."

"Thank you so much, I owe you one."

The group Flooed out and Hermione hung back. She sat down next to Ginny at the kitchen table and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Hermione you should go and have fun, I'll be fine."

"It's okay Gin. I thought maybe we could talk?"

Ginny nodded and the pair excused themselves to the sitting room while Molly started dinner. Hermione sat on the sofa and stretched her legs out on it, Ginny positioned herself between them and leaned against the brunette.

"So are you for sure going back tomorrow?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah. I don't know how much I'll be able to do but I'm going to try. We leave Friday morning for Portugal, the match is Saturday afternoon. I probably won't put myself in, if I do then it won't be for long. It depends on how I feel."

"Just do what you can, love."

"Hermione…how…how have you been? With all of this?"

"I've been worried about you. When you didn't come back after flying…gods Ginny, I don't think I've ever been so scared. We all had a good idea about what happened, we didn't even consider letting the Ministry handle it; except for Percy of course but obviously we ignored him. When we found you…when I realized what had happened…I don't even remember what was going through my head other than killing him. It was all a blur."

"I was so scared of what would happen when you found out. I think that's why I shut you out…"

"What did you think would happen?"

"I don't know, honestly."

"It hasn't been easy, to tell you the truth. But only because you shut me out and wouldn't let me try to help you. All I wanted was to help you get through this."

Ginny sighed and nuzzled into Hermione's neck. "I'm trying, I really am."

"I know you are, love. I know you are."

"Ha-have you talked to your parents at all?"

"No. The last I heard from them was at the hospital. I sent them a copy of our wedding announcement right after it was printed and didn't get a response."

"The wedding…I don't have anything to wear."

Hermione smiled. "You've got a little time to find something."

"Have you done anymore planning for it?"

"A little. Neville and Professor Sprout want to do the flowers, I've got contact information for caterers and the Ceremony Wizard booked. George has insisted that he get to do a little something to do with fireworks so I have consented to that as long as he doesn't destroy anything. Any idea who you want standing up with us?"

"As much as I'd love to have all of my brothers up there I think it would be fair to just have Harry and Luna. We both owe them a lot and it would be easier to get two sets of dress robes versus however many we would need for all of them."

"That sounds good to me. But you know that if you don't want to…we can postpone it."

"No. I'm marrying you, Hermione. I've waited for this for almost ten years, I will not have it delayed any further."

"But you said…you can't feel…I don't want you to go through with this if you can't love me."

"It'll get better, 'Mione."


	28. Chapter 28

**-Chapter 28-**

Just as dinner was being served a large snowy owl swooped into the Burrow. There was a small scroll of parchment attached to its leg and Harry quickly untied it and gave the owl a bit of chicken.

"It's from Shacklebolt," he said as his eyes ran across the words.

"Well go on then, read it!" Ron said.

"Narcissa convicted on charges of hiding Death Eaters, lying to the Ministry, aiding in kidnapping. Life in Azkaban. Let me know if you want to go to the Quidditch match, I'll get you transportation and reservations in the best hotel. Invite all Weasleys."

The room erupted in cheers. Ginny pulled Hermione into a kiss and the latter smiled.

"I wonder if Andromeda knows," Harry said.

"I'm sure she'll find out soon enough," Ron replied as he took a helping of chicken.

"Are you guys coming with us?" Willow asked excitedly.

"I don't see why not," Ron said. "What about it Harry?"

"I don't know, the twins seem kind of young to really enjoy it all."

"Nah, we see kids their age in the stands all the time. They like the movement and all that."

"I think they'd be fine, Harry. We should go, a nice family vacation."

"What about you, Hermione?" Aislin asked, taking another helping of vegetables. "I know Lennox would love it."

"I don't see why we couldn't."

"Mum, Dad, wha abouf you?" Ron asked with a mouthful of chicken.

"Stop talking with your mouth full, Ron, it's disgusting." Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Oh I think it would be lovely! Arthur, we should go!"

"Of course, dear! I'll send out letters to the others right after dinner."

Ron stayed at the Burrow for the week to take letters from Shacklebolt and solidify plans for the weekend. The entire Weasley family (minus Ginny who was traveling with the team), four Potters and two Grangers met at the Burrow Friday afternoon. There was a Ministry of Magic car waiting for them. After the luggage was stowed and Bill, Harry and George had a long talk with the driver about their pregnant wives and how he best be careful, everyone filed into the vehicle. Even with the expanding charm it was a tight fit for all 19 of them.

The vehicle started moving, just as everyone could see the outline of the village it was gone and London appeared in front of them.

"Everyone all right?" The driver called. "I would've made the first jump shorter but the Minister wants to make sure you all get there in time for dinner. Next jump in twenty minutes! Just the other side of London to Le Havre."

"I think everyone is fine back here," Bill said.

"What kind of hotel did Kingsley reserve?" Charlie asked Ron.

"I don't know, he just said it was in Vinhais. He said not to be fooled by the outward appearance of it."

The vehicle jumped every twenty or thirty minutes, seven jumps in all and they appeared in a mountainous area. The car drove into a small village, a worn sign indicated they had reached their destination. They pulled up just on the other side of the village, a dilapidated building about four stories high that looked as though it might collapse at any moment. A sign hanging on just barely to the outside wall read in faded paint "HOTEL".

"Wait here," The driver said as he got out of the vehicle. He went inside the building and came back with six boys who started unloading the mass amount of luggage from the car. The driver opened the door and everyone filed out. They followed him through the door that looked as though it would fall off the hinges if anyone touched it. Once inside though, they understood what Shacklebolt had meant about not letting outward appearances fool them.

There were dozens of crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, off to the right was a large seating area with plush couches and chairs. The walls and high ceiling were pearly white. The concierge counter to the left was topped with marble and the huge mahogany staircase that lead to the upper floors was so shiny you could see a clear reflection of the ceiling on the steps.

"Don't touch anything, boys," Molly said. "I don't want you getting everything dirty."

"Mum, we're all adults here," Charlie said. "Do you forget that Bill over there is almost thirty-six, an old man!"

"Shut it, Charlie. I can still kick your scrawny little arse, you know!"

"I'd like to see you try without breaking a hip, old man!"

Hermione shook her head. "You all aren't setting a very good example for the children!" she hissed.

Before Charlie and Bill could go any further Shacklebolt appeared in the foyer with an Auror on either side of him.

"Welcome, all of you!" he said, greeting everyone with handshakes. "All of your rooms are here on the ground floor, I made sure of that because of our expectant mothers." He smiled and walked to the hallway that was just passed the concierge. A bellhop followed with a bag full of keys. They stopped at the first door on the hallway, a plaque on it read "Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Weasley" the bellhop fished a key out of the bag and handed it to Arthur.

"Jason will make sure you all get to your rooms and get your keys, your luggage will come in shortly. Dinner is in an hour in the dining hall. To get there just go back the way we came and down the hall opposite this one. For now I must be going, I have other guests to greet but I hope you all find the accommodations fair." Shacklebolt shook everyone's hands again and then disappeared down the hallway. Molly and Arthur went into their room and Jason led them all to the rest. Each family had their own room aside from Ron and Charlie who shared. Hermione was the last to be placed, she smiled at the plaque on her door: _Captain Ginevra Weasley, Miss Hermione Granger and family_.

Hermione opened the door and smiled even bigger when she saw Ginny sitting in one of the armchairs reading through her Quidditch playbook. Lennox squealed and ran to hug her. Ginny picked him up and smiled at him.

"I told you we'd have a little holiday, just the three of us, didn't I?" Ginny said as she wrapped an arm around Hermione's waist and kissed her.

"You did. Shouldn't you be with the team though?"

"I'm the Captain, I get special treatment. Besides, the team isn't doing anything this afternoon or tomorrow morning until warm-ups. So we'll have plenty of time for it to be just us."

"And your entire family…and Harry's family."

"Yeah, them too."

There was a knock at the door, Hermione answered it and her luggage floated in and set itself down on the floor. She gave the bellhop a couple of Sickles, the young man smiled and thanked her.

"Dinner is in an hour, Shacklebolt said." Hermione lifted her suitcase up on the queen sized bed and pulled out her toiletry bag. She sat on the bench in front of the vanity counter and began touching up her makeup. Ginny put Lennox down, walked over to Hermione, leaned down and wrapped her arms around Hermione's shoulders.

"I…I'm glad you're here."

"Me too, Gin." Hermione turned and kissed Ginny's cheek. "I love you."

Ginny smiled and returned Hermione's kiss on the cheek. "You're beautiful, you know that 'Mione?"

"So are you, love. So are you."

Lennox crawled up in Hermione's lap and Ginny smiled as she looked in the mirror.

"We are a pretty good looking bunch, aren't we?" she said.

"I can't argue with that."

Dinner was spectacular, just as it had at Hogwarts the food magically appeared on the tables for each course. The entirety of Team England and several of their families and other Ministry dignitaries were there, Shacklebolt made a speech honoring the Quidditch team and wishing them the best of luck.

"…and we are also joined this evening, by my request, by a group of spectacular individuals, several of whom not only risked their lives in the Second Wizarding War when they were all very young but have recently done the same again which as you all know lead to the capture of a few high profile criminals and the rescue of a hostage. I toast them for bravery and only ask of them that next time they decide to break the law to do something like this again that they let me know so I may join them! Stand, all of you!"

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Bill, Charlie, George, Willow, and Aislin stood at their table and the room erupted in cheers. There were flashes of light as photographers snapped pictures.


	29. Chapter 29

**-Chapter 29-**

Hermione got Lennox settled in the small bed that was in a smaller room off the main room with the queen sized bed while Ginny changed into her nightclothes in the bathroom. Once he was asleep Hermione came back into the main room and closed the door between the two. Just as she finished changing into her nightclothes Ginny emerged from the bathroom and they crawled into the bed together, Hermione lay on her back and Ginny snuggled up next to her, draping one arm across the brunette's stomach.

"I'm nervous about tomorrow," Ginny sighed.

"You'll be just fine as long as you don't put Davis in your place if you decide not to play."

"I'll put in Forester for a while. If he doesn't work out then I'll go in. Willow's been working her arse off though so I'm hoping she gets the Snitch pretty quick."

"I'm pretty sure Ron would propose to her if she was the reason you guys got to the finals."

Ginny trailed her fingers over Hermione's stomach. "What's it like, Hermione? Being a mum?"

"Scary. It's scary as hell but it's also amazing. It's like...you've got this human life you have to take care of before you can even look at it and everything you do you wonder if it's the right thing to do. It's all worth it though...even the pain. It's all worth it in the end. You'll find out eventually."

"If I'm anything like my mum I'll find out several times."

"But the good thing is we get to control when it happens."

"True. Given any thought to names?"

"A little. I can't decide if we should go with Weasley-Granger or the other way around."

"Other way around."

"Okay. Remind me after the wedding to get Lennox's birth certificate changed, will you?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I? You're the one that said he's practically your son already, remember?"

"Well he is."

"I didn't disagree, did I?"

"No. So do I let him keep calling me Ginny or do I tell him to call me 'Mum'?"

Hermione shrugged. "Up to you, love."

Ginny yawned. "I'll think about it while I sleep."

"Good plan."

"Night 'Mione."

"Goodnight love."

Everyone was up early the next morning. They explored the small village, it appeared to be somewhat like Ottery St. Catchpole, a blend of Muggle and magical people. Ginny left for the stadium a few hours before everyone else. By the time they all arrived the huge space was packed with witches and wizards. They made their way to one of the boxes and joined Shacklebolt and his two guards.

"Wonderful to see all of you!" he said as he stood up to shake hands with everyone. "Spectacular view, isn't it? You see," he pointed around the pitch, "we're centered on the pitch and right level with the hoops!"

"Fantastic!" Ron said as he leaned over the edge of the box and looked around. Hermione held Lennox up as he peered out into the stadium.

"_Welcome!" _a voice boomed throughout the stadium. _"Welcome to the first matchup of Portugal and England in this round of the Quidditch World cup!"_

The group took their seats as the announcer ran through the names and positions of all the players on each team. While the teams flew around Willow broke away from the practice and flew right up to the ledge of the box. Ron jumped to greet her and they shared a kiss.

"Good luck today!" he said when their lips finally parted.

"Thanks," she said with a smile.

"How's Ginny doing?" Hermione asked.

"Nervous. If Forester doesn't show anything impressive in an hour she's taking him out and going in herself."

"Tell her good luck for me, will you?"

Willow looked over her shoulder. "Why don't you tell her yourself?" she said as Ginny flew up to the box.

"Hey love," Hermione said with a smile. "Good luck out there, be careful."

"I will be, promise."

Hermione leaned over the ledge and ran her fingers through Ginny's hair. She pushed her lips against the redhead's. "I love you, Ginny," Hermione whispered when they parted. Ginny nodded and touched her lips to Hermione's once more then zoomed off. Hermione looked down to the pitch and saw Ginny land then walk over to where the rest of the reserves were standing.

"She's close," Willow said looking at Hermione. "She told me this morning. She said it feels like a melting ice cube with something in the middle of it. She says every moment you're together she gets closer. Just be patient, she'll get there."

Hermione smiled and nodded. Willow turned and raced back down into the stadium. The match started and everyone watched intently.

After an hour the score was tied 50-50. As she said she would, Ginny came into the match to replace Forester. While he hadn't been horrible he hadn't been all that spectacular, either. Hermione pointed her out to Lennox when she and Aislin flew by, he squealed and jumped up and down. In a matter of five minutes Ginny had scored twice more for England, the cheers in the stadium were deafening each time she did. Her gaze caught Hermione's after each score. After another hour the score was still close but England had a reason to cheer, they were up by thirty.

"There it is!" Harry shouted, pointing down towards the pitch. Everyone leaned over the edge and sure enough a sharp glimmer of gold caught everyone's eyes for a split second and it was quickly followed by Willow and the Portugal Seeker.

"Come on baby, come on!" Ron yelled. "You can do it!"

The roar in the crowd was even louder now as they watched the two Seekers race around the stadium. Willow narrowly avoided one of the goal posts then seemed to bounce off the stadium wall, turned over and was back up next to the other Seeker in seconds as they raced up, almost vertically.

"Did you see that?!" Ron screeched. "Harry, Harry, could you do that?! Look at her go, Harry!"

"I see her Ron, I see her!"

The two figures on brooms came rushing back down to the stadium. No one had even noticed that England had scored again. The two Seekers swerved through the other players on the pitch, the Portugal Seeker crashed into one of his teammates leaving Willow all alone in the pursuit.

"Harry! Harry!" Ron yelled as he jumped up and down.

"Yes, I know, Ron!"

"Did he do this at the other match?" Hermione yelled to ask Bill.

"Yes! It's irritating!"

They turned their attention back to the game and just in time, too. Willow's broom narrowly avoided a head on collision with the wall of the stadium as she swiped and caught the Golden Snitch.

"Yes! Did you see that!? Did you all see that?!" Ron yelled. "That's my girlfriend! Did you see her?!"

"We saw her, Ron!" Bill yelled. "Now shut it, you're gonna make me sick!"

The team collaborated in the middle of the pitch to celebrate. As they walked off the pitch Hermione saw Ginny beaming, smiling from ear to ear.

When they got back to the hotel Ron was recounting Willow's catch for the seventh time. George finally cast a silencing charm on him. Before departing to their rooms Kingsley told them to come to the dining hall at dinner dressed to dance and have fun, nothing formal.

After ordering room service and having lunch Hermione laid Lennox down for his nap and curled up in the queen sized bed to rest for a bit. She didn't realize she had fallen asleep until she felt slender fingers running through her hair and sweet lips nibbling at her own.

"Congratulations, love," Hermione said with a smile.

"Thanks baby," Ginny said. Hermione ran her fingers through Ginny's hair which was still damp from her after-match shower.

"Have you seen Ron?"

"No, why?"

"Just wondering if Charlie's killed him yet."

"Willow will be disappointed if he has since she's here to celebrate with him."

"She'll have a hell of a time shutting him up about her catch."

"I'm sure she'll find a way, she's a creative girl."

Hermione's lips found Ginny's again and the brunette pulled her close. Ginny intertwined her legs with Hermione and slipped one arm around her waist, pulling their torsos together. Their tongues swirled each other and their bodies moved rhythmically together. Ginny kissed along Hermione's jaw and down to her neck. She stopped and just held on to her lover.

"Are you okay, Gin?" Hermione asked, slightly breathless.

"I'm fine. I just…I'm not ready."

Ginny pulled away and set her head on the pillows looking into Hermione's eyes.

"I didn't expect you to be, don't worry."

"I don't know when I will be."

"You'll be ready when you're ready, that's all."

"How is it you put up with me, 'Mione?"

"Because I love you and it's not just because you're absolutely amazing in bed…or the shower...or Harry and Luna's sitting room…" Hermione smirked.

"I still feel kind of bad about that."

"How were we to know the coffee table couldn't hold the both of us? And besides, the repairing charm worked just fine."

"You always have been good at those."

"Any idea what time it is?"

"No clue."

Ginny leaned in to kiss her fiancée once more but they were interrupted by a knock at the door followed by Charlie's voice.

"Hey you guys, dinner starts in fifteen minutes!"

Ginny hopped out of bed and opened the door. "Thanks Charlie. Why aren't you in your room?"

"Ron and Willow kicked me out."

"You wanna come in? Nothing going on here, promise."

"Sure," he said as he stepped in. "Hey 'Mione. Where's Lennox?"

"Napping, I should get him up though otherwise he'll never sleep tonight."

Hermione got out of the bed and went into the room where Lennox was asleep.

"How are you doing, Gin?" Charlie asked as he sat in one of the large armchairs, Ginny sat down on the loveseat.

"Good I think. Bruises are all gone, strength is back up. I'm sure Mum told you all about the few days after…after everything."

"She did but I wasn't talking about how you're doing physically. I can see that you're all right."

"Better that I was, that's for sure. Hermione…God she's been fantastic. I don't even know how she puts up with me. I-I can't even tell her I love her because I just don't feel it."

"It's only been a couple weeks, Gin. No one expects you to get over this right away."

"I expected me to."

"You also expected to sprout wings and fly the Christmas after you turned six because that's what you wanted Santa Claus to bring you."

"Shortly after that is when I started riding brooms so that's not a good comparison."

"Sure it is. You flew, just not the way you wanted. You'll recover from this, just not the way you want to. At least I hope you will."

"I will. I have to."

Lennox came running into the room and hopped up onto Ginny's lap.

"Hi Ginny!"

"How's my little guy?"

"I'm good!"

"Say hi to Uncle Charlie."

"Hi Uncle Charlie!"

"We should get down to the dining hall," Hermione said, putting a hand on Ginny's shoulder.

Dinner was again spectacular, afterwards the tables disappeared and music played. Hermione held on to Lennox and swayed with him, Ginny stood behind her and wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist.

"I think I saw this in a painting somewhere," Ginny whispered.

Hermione leaned her head back onto Ginny's shoulder.

The next day Ginny and Hermione spent the day wandering around the village with Lennox. They went for a picnic just outside of town and then spent the rest of the day in the hotel room. Lennox napped while Hermione and Ginny lay in bed.

"I'm going to miss you this week, love," Hermione said, combing her fingers through Ginny's fiery locks.

"I'll miss you too. Promise I'll do my best to win Saturday."

"Whatever you need to do, Gin."


	30. Chapter 30

**-Chapter 30-**

England crushed Portugal in the second round, 350-40. Ginny herself scored half the goals. The team returned for a week off. Ginny moved back into Grimmauld Place with the Potters and for the week she had off and Hermione did as well even though she had to work. After that she moved back into her flat because Ginny decided to go back to the dormitories for the next set of matches against Bulgaria.

Ginny kept busy the week she had off when Hermione wasn't there, Ron and Harry were helping Andromeda Tonks clean out Malfoy Manor to put up for sale. The Grimmauld Place drawing room was being used to store things. Andromeda promised Ron all of the books from the room he, Willow, and Bill had gone into when they went to find Ginny. Another entire room full of books was found and Andromeda also offered them to Ron but he declined and said Hermione could have them since he had enough for an entire library already. Ginny spent her days cleaning the dusty books and boxing them up. There were more than three dozen beds in the Manor which Andromeda donated to St. Mungo's because, "Dora always complained about the uncomfortable beds in the long-term care ward."

The next three weeks were tense. England played Bulgaria at England's stadium. England won the first match, barely. Shortly after the match ended everyone received owls that Angelina had given birth to her and George's first child, a boy named Fred. The second match England lost just narrowly. Hermione attended both but couldn't come to the third, she had come down with a cold which Lennox had also caught. Even with the Pepperup Potion she didn't want to go to Grimmauld Place for fear of getting the twins sick so Harry brought her a wireless set that was being stored in the drawing room. Hermione was nervous. If England won this match they would be headed to the finals in two weeks; one match, winner take all, against Ireland who was undefeated.

Hermione took a shot of the Pepperup Potion and gave a spoonful to Lennox. She snuggled up with him on the couch and turned on the Wireless. She tuned it until she found the right channel. Lennox's breathing slowed and Hermione could tell he was asleep. She listened to the commentary of the match, drifting lazily in and out of sleep.

When Hermione awoke the windows to her flat were dim, the Wireless had gone fuzzy.

"Oh no…" Hermione groaned. She checked her watch, it was almost seven. Before she could sit up there was a loud crack and a slender female figure appeared.

"Hermione, baby are you okay?" Ginny said as she knelt down by the couch. "Harry said he sent an owl two hours ago!"

"I'm fine, Gin. I…I fell asleep right when the match began. Ugh this cold…I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. I was just worried when Harry said he hadn't heard from you."

"How did you do?"

"We…we lost. Just barely. Willow broke her arm and three ribs trying to get the Snitch, Trance broke his nose. I damn near broke my leg and Aislin got a pretty good shiner."

"I'm sorry Gin, I know how much it meant to you."

"I'm okay with it. We did the best we could. I missed you."

"Missed you too," Hermione said with a yawn then a sneeze. "Ugh, you should leave before you catch this."

"How about not? You stay here and rest a little, I'll get Lennox settled into bed."

"I 'unno…"

"Go back to sleep, 'Mione," Ginny said as she patted the brunette's head. She took Lennox to his room and got him settled into bed. She walked back to sitting room and smiled at Hermione who was curled up in a ball, sleeping. She slipped an arm around Hermione's waist and lifted her up. Hermione grumbled and Ginny helped her to her room and got the brunette settled in bed.

"Ginny please...I don't want you to get _-sneeze-_ sick."

"You gonna get up with Lennox when he's up for breakfast?"

"I can _-sneeze-_ handle it." Hermione groaned and rubbed her eyes.

"Here's an idea, how about I handle it?"

"So damn stubborn..." Hermione grumbled.

"Look who's talking," Ginny said. She smiled and ran her fingers through Hermione's hair. "Get some sleep, don't worry about anything."

Hermione awoke to the sound of Lennox giggling and two quick sets of feet rumbling down the hallway.

"No, Lennox, sweetie! Mama has to sleep. Come on now, let's get back to the kitchen and have lunch."

Hermione rolled out of bed and stumbled into the hallway. She made her way to the kitchen where Lennox was sitting at the table and Ginny was cleaning the kitchen counter.

"Good morning, beautiful," Ginny said with a smile. "Sit down, I'll get you some soup." Ginny pulled a bowl out of one of the kitchen cabinets and ladled soup into it from the pan on the stove. Hermione sat down at the table.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Counting sleeping through the Quidditch match? About a day." Ginny set the bowl down in front of Hermione and smiled. She kissed Hermione's forehead. "Your fever is gone. Lennox's broke around three this morning. How did you manage to pick up colds in the middle of summer?"

"The park, I'm guessing." Hermione drank her soup.

"I've already told Harry to tell your boss that you won't be at work tomorrow. You should be okay for Tuesday though. Oh and this came for you this morning, I didn't recognize the owl." Ginny handed Hermione an envelope. Hermione tore it open and her eyes ran across the lines.

_Miss Granger,_

_It pleases me to inform you that Three Phoenix Construction has finished your house. If you would like to set up a meeting to inspect please let us know._

"Anything important?"

"Uh…I…uh…kind of. Yeah."

"Care to share?"

"N-no."

"Still planning something, I see."

"N-no! I…um…no!"

Ginny laughed. "I won't pry, promise. When should I start moving my things in?"

"Your things?"

"Yeah, you asked me to move in with you when the season was over. Well, season is over."

"Oh…well…I...Since there's only a month until the wedding I thought maybe we could wait until then."

"Oh."

"Ginny, it's not for any reasons you might think. Do you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you, Hermione. I just don't understand…"

"Just trust me on this, okay? I promise you won't be let down."

"Okay. I'm going to get Lennox down for his nap, finish your soup."

Ginny took Lennox into his bedroom. When she left she was met in the hallway by Hermione and a deep, passionate kiss. They stumbled into Hermione's bedroom and fell onto the bed.

"What brought this on?" Ginny asked, breathlessly. She rolled on to her side and faced Hermione. Hermione ran her fingers through Ginny's hair and then traced over Ginny's face with her fingers.

"I haven't seen you hardly at all in weeks and I guess that fact just kind of hit me. I've missed you so much…I got so used to seeing you every day and then I didn't and it just…it was hard. I worked as much as I could…I just missed you, Ginny."

Ginny wiped away a tear that escaped Hermione's eye. Hermione gently touched her lips to Ginny's and the redhead pulled her lover in close. Ginny tried to break the embrace but Hermione held on tight.

"Look at me, 'Mione. Please, I need you to look at me for this."

Hermione pulled away and looked into Ginny's eyes.

"I missed you too…I didn't realize how much until…until we lost. I…I wasn't devastated by it like I thought I would be. When Bulgaria got the Snitch…and I heard the announcer say it….My first thought wasn't to scream and swear…it…it was that I would get to come home to you. That was when I knew that I was ready…ready for you, for Lennox, for all of this. I tried to be upset about the loss…but my mind wouldn't let me. I just kept thinking of you…And I would get to hold you in my arms…and I would look at your beautiful brown eyes…just like this. And I would tell you that…I would tell you that I love you, Hermione. I love you and I mean it. I feel it. I feel it with everything I have, with every single solitary piece of everything I have. There is nothing in me that doesn't feel it. I love you."

Tears dripped out of Hermione's eyes. Ginny pressed her lips against Hermione's again. When she pulled away Hermione sobbed a little and smiled.

"I love you, Ginevra," she whispered before their lips touched again.

"Hermione…"

"Yeah baby?"

Ginny ran her hand down to the small of Hermione's back and pushed their hips together.

"I'm ready."

"Are you sure, Gin? It…it's only been a couple months…"

"I know how long it's been. I want this…I want you."

"This sounds familiar…"

"It does a little, doesn't it?"


	31. Chapter 31

As if you couldn't tell by the way I ended the last chapter this one is filled with sex.

* * *

**-Chapter 31-**

Their lips crashed together and Ginny rolled over on top of Hermione. She slipped her hands under Hermione's t-shirt and pulled it off of her. She ran her fingertips over Hermione's nipples and smiled. Hermione slid her hands under Ginny's shirt and pulled it off. The redhead definitely looked healthier than the last time Hermione had seen her without a shirt. Ginny unclasped her bra and tossed it to the floor. She leaned back down and her bare breasts pressed against Hermione's.

"I didn't realize how much I missed this until just now…" Ginny moaned and nibbled Hermione's earlobe.

Ginny ran her hands down Hermione's sides and slipped her thumbs into the waistband of Hermione's sweatpants and pulled them off. Hermione undid the button and zipper of Ginny's jeans and the redhead nodded. Hermione pulled them down off Ginny's hips and the redhead kicked them to the floor. Ginny relaxed back on top of Hermione and lay her head on the brunette's chest.

"You okay?" Hermione asked, running her fingers up and down Ginny's spine.

"Yeah. I just need a minute..."

"Ginny, if you're not ready..."

"Hermione I told you, I'm ready. Are...are you? I mean...are you okay with it?"

"I am but I don't want to push you. I want this only if you really want to, not because you think you have to."

"I want this, 'Mione. I want you..."

Ginny gently pressed her lips against Hermione's again and as their tongues swirled each other the redhead lifted herself off of her lover and slid a hand down her stomach and under the waistband of Hermione's red cotton briefs. Her fingers slipped through the wet folds and found Hermione's slit. She plunged two of her slender fingers into her lover and Hermione let out a short scream. Hermione's hips moved with Ginny's rhythm.

"Gin…oh Ginny…oh gods…" Hermione moaned. Ginny stripped away Hermione's underwear and trailed the brunette's neck with kisses then down her chest and to her breasts. She took one in her mouth and flicked at the nipple with her tongue and nipped at it. Hermione moaned as Ginny pulled her fingers out and gently rubbed circles around Hermione's clit.

"Oh baby…Ginny…oh…" Hermione ran her fingers through Ginny's hair and held on to her head as Ginny trailed her kisses lower. She flicked her tongue at Hermione's navel and continued downward. Ginny looked up from between Hermione's legs at her lover and smiled before she flicked her tongue over the swollen, sensitive bud at the top of the folds. Hermione moaned.

Ginny thrust her fingers in and out of Hermione and the brunette turned her head and screamed into a pillow. Ginny pulled her fingers out and replaced them with her tongue, darting it in and out of Hermione's dripping slit. Hermione continued moaning and screaming into the pillow. She gripped the bedsheets and her back arched. Ginny thrust her fingers deep into Hermione's slit one last time and the brunette shuddered, the orgasm raged through her, all of her nerve endings burned and throbbed as she collapsed, completely limp onto the bed.

"Oh...my…Ginny…" Hermione gasped. Ginny grabbed the pale blue sheet and pulled it up around her and her lover. She laid her head on Hermione's stomach and Hermione ran her fingers through Ginny's hair.

"You are so gorgeous when you come for me, 'Mione."

Hermione could only whimper. Ginny moved up and nuzzled her nose into the brunette's neck. She planted a light kiss just below Hermione's ear.

Ginny rolled over on her back and Hermione followed, rolling over on top of the redhead.

"Tell me if you want me to stop."

"I will, I promise."

Hermione nodded kissed down Ginny's neck, the redhead moaned. Hermione ran her hands down Ginny's sides and hooked her thumbs into the waistband of Ginny's underwear and slipped them off. Ginny gasped when Hermione slid her hand between her legs and caressed her inner thigh.

"Go on…" Ginny whispered.

Hermione slipped her fingers into Ginny's folds and ran her fingers over Ginny's clit. Ginny moaned and Hermione moved her fingers in slow circles.

"'Mione…yes…"

Hermione pushed harder and Ginny moaned again. The redhead grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled it away from her clit and slid it down to her dripping wet slit. She nodded and Hermione gently pushed two fingers in and slowly began thrusting. Hermione placed kisses all over Ginny's chest and down to her luscious breasts. She flicked her tongue over one nipple then the other. Ginny's hips moved up to meet Hermione's thrusts and she dug her fingernails into Hermione's back. Hermione's thumb found Ginny's clit and slowly rubbed it while her fingers kept slowly pushing in and out.

"You want me to go further?" Hermione asked while switching from devouring Ginny's left breast to her right.

"Please…"

Hermione sucked and gave a nip to Ginny's right nipple before crawling between Ginny's legs. She breathed in the sweet scent that was Ginevra Weasley and planted a light kiss on both of Ginny's thighs. She put her left hand on Ginny's stomach and the redhead grabbed onto it and held it tight. She slipped her tongue over Ginny's clit and continued with the slow rhythmic motions of thrusting her fingers in and out of Ginny's slit. Ginny's back arched and she moaned, Hermione pulled her fingers out and pushed her tongue inside.

"Oh 'Mione…baby…"

Hermione rubbed Ginny's clit in circles, pushing against the sensitive bud while she continued thrusting and rolling her tongue inside the redhead.

"Don't stop 'Mione…gods…don't stop!"

Hermione sped up the circular motion of her fingers and pushed her tongue as deep as she could get it when she felt Ginny start to tense up. Ginny's back arched further. She gripped onto Hermione's hand and her other gripped the sheets as her orgasm coursed through her body.

Hermione fell onto the bed up next to Ginny and they faced each other and held on tight, like they might fall away into nothingness if they didn't. Ginny shook and Hermione gripped her tighter.

"Are you okay, love?" Hermione asked when she noticed Ginny's eyes glistening.

"I...I think so..."

"Anything I can do?"

"Don't let go."

"Never."


	32. Chapter 32

**-Chapter 32-**

Hermione went the next week and inspected the house. It was perfect, she told Harry and Luna. It took only a couple of days and she, with the help of the entire Weasley family, moved everything in her flat to the house. She insisted on staying weekends at Grimmauld Place, Ginny didn't ask questions. Everyone received word that there was yet another Weasley grandchild, Fleur had a son, Louis.

The Lovegood House was finished around the same time as Hermione and Ginny's except for the outbuilding which was still being set up. Hermione and Ginny helped the Potters pick out furniture and get set up. The first weekend everything was settled they switched their Friday night dinner to a Saturday and had it at the new house.

Ginny finished dusting and polishing the hundreds of books Andromeda had given Ron. When he showed them to Willow and told her that absolutely every single one of them now belonged to her she proposed to him and he agreed. Molly nearly passed out at the news ("I like her Ronald but you've only known each other for a few months!"). Ron told her not to worry, it would be a while before their wedding.

It felt like they barely blinked but before anyone knew it, it was a week before the wedding. Luna and Ginny had found Ginny's dress. Ginny woke up in the middle of the night the weekend before and shook Hermione awake to ask her if she'd sent out the invitations.

"Sent them out while you were in Portugal, baby. Go back to sleep," she groaned.

"What about…"

"Ginny, absolutely everything is planned. Between me, your mother, Willow, Luna, Fleur, Angelina, and Audrey, every single detail is ready to go. Even Aislin dropped in to help with the menu planning last weekend while you were getting your office set up at _The Prophet_. I've taken the week off work to make sure nothing has been left out. Wednesday night is your party, Thursday is mine. Friday night you're staying at the Burrow, I'll be with Harry and Luna. Wedding Saturday."

"What…what about your parents?"

"I sent them an invitation. Can we talk about this in the morning?"

"Yeah, okay…"

Hermione split her time between Grimmauld Place and the Burrow finishing up the fine details. Ginny started packing her things up to be moved. Tuesday evening Hermione and Ginny were in the sitting room at Grimmauld Place going over the set list for the band, Lennox and the twins were running around playing and Luna and Harry were looking over _The Daily Prophet_ when the obnoxiously loud doorbell rang.

"You expecting someone, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"No…" he said as he stood up and walked out of the room. There were voices from the foyer and Harry came back into the sitting room. "Uh…Hermione…" before he could say anything Hermione's parents appeared behind him.

Ginny stood up, followed by Hermione.

"Dad…Mum…I…what are you…" Hermione stammered.

"We'd like to talk to you," Hermione's father said.

Hermione grabbed onto Ginny's hand and they lead the Grangers into the dining room. Hermione and Ginny sat on one side of the table, Hermione's parents on the other.

"Did you get the invitation?" Hermione asked.

"We did, and your letter you sent with it. You…you've been through quite a bit since…" Mr. Granger said.

"Yeah, we have. And I'm still here," Ginny scowled and shot a look at her future mother-in-law.

"Ginny…I am really and truly sorry for what I said. Hermione…I didn't want to see anything happen to her."

Ginny nodded at Hermione's mother.

"We…we would like to come to the wedding on Saturday if you both would allow it."

Hermione and Ginny looked at each other. Ginny shrugged her shoulders and Hermione sighed.

"All right," Hermione said.

"Also," Mrs. Granger said, pulling a thick envelope out of her purse, "we'd like to give this to you now. It's your plane tickets, hotel information, and travel guides for eight days and seven nights in Hawaii. Your plane leaves a week from today. Absolutely everything is taken care of from transportation to meals." She slid the envelope across the table and Hermione picked it up.

"Thank you, both of you."

Ginny managed a small smile. "Yeah…thank you," she said.

"Do you have arrangements…"

"We'd prefer it if Lennox stayed with Harry and Luna. They have already approved and Ron's fiancée has said that she will move in for the week to help. We just have to let them know when it will be. We were going to wait a little and plan it ourselves but since you've done this…" Hermione said. Ginny pulled her over close and they whispered for a few moments. Hermione nodded.

"Ginny and I agree that if you would like to take him for the weekend we will be gone then that would be all right."

Ginny nodded.

"Thank you, Ginny," Hermione's mother said.

"It's late, we should get going."

Everyone stood and Hermione and Ginny walked the Grangers to the front door after they said goodbye to Harry and Luna and had given Lennox hugs.

"The ceremony starts at eleven," Hermione said. "If you'd like to come early I am sure the Weasleys would help you find me and…you can help me get ready, Mum."

"I would like that very much."

Hermione hugged her parents. Ginny did the same, rather reluctantly.


	33. Chapter 33

**-Chapter 33-**

Wednesday night Ginny and Hermione went to the Burrow. Ginny's brothers (minus George who went ahead to check on the reservations) and Harry were already there, hooping and hollering. Hermione took Percy aside and told him that he had better stay sober and she would kill him if anything happened to Ginny. After a round of kisses and stern talks from wives to husbands the stag party Flooed to the Leaky Cauldron then hailed cabs; Ron, Charlie, and Ginny in one, Bill, Percy, and Harry in the other.

Charlie and Bill told the drivers where to go and the two cabs headed into the city. They pulled up in front of a night club that was across the street from a hotel, George met them outside.

"Charlie you need to hurry up and find a woman so we can make sure we get another one of these after Ron's!" George said when everyone went inside.

"Hey, what if he doesn't want a woman?" Bill asked, nudging Charlie in the ribs.

"Okay, fine! Charlie, you need to hurry up and find a man so that…wait that wouldn't work out for us! Damn!"

"Oh shut it, George!" Charlie howled.

"Well which is it, Char? We gonna get to do this again or are our wives gonna be taking you out?" George kept on.

"…I dunno. Can we not talk about this? Come on, lets just get our drink order in before it gets too crowded."

"Charlie!" Ginny squealed. "Seriously? Are you gay?!"

Charlie turned bright red. "Kind of, yeah."

"You git! Here I thought I was the only one! Do you know how much easier my childhood would have been if I had known that?"

"So does this mean we don't get to have a stag party when you meet a guy?" George nudged Charlie.

"Nah, we can. I still appreciate the female form."

George let out a whoop and took a shot of whiskey.

"Hey, hey wait! George you owe me ten Sickles!" Bill laughed.

"You made a bet on whether or not I'm gay!?"

"It was years ago…the important part now is that I won!"

"You're both completely off your rockers, you know that?"

"Come on, Ginny!" George yelled as he lined up shots on the bar.

Ginny took three shots in a row and the men hollered. Loud music started blaring and the club filled up. They all settled around one of the stages, pushing Ginny up front.

"God Hermione would kill me if she were here right now!" Ginny yelled to George as she tossed some of her Muggle money onto the stage at one of the dancers who smiled appreciatively and tucked the money into her bra strap.

"Just enjoy it, Gin!" he yelled back as the dancer crawled off the stage and straddled Ginny's lap.

"Whatcha here for?" the dancer asked, grinding her hips into Ginny's.

"Stag party. I'm getting married on Saturday."

"She's a lucky woman, you're pretty cute. I've always had a thing for redheads." The dancer winked and ran her fingers through Ginny's hair causing her to shiver. Someone called from the other side of the stage and the dancer got up off of Ginny's lap. "Enjoy yourself tonight," she said before kissing Ginny's cheek and hopping back up on the stage. Ginny took a shot after shot of whatever it was Charlie was handing her. A few minutes later the dancer returned and straddled Ginny again.

"I'm out of money," Ginny slurred when the dancer started slipping her fingers through her hair.

"This one's on me."

"Be careful," Ginny said when she felt the woman's hands move down her neck, "I don't want to get in trouble. My brother is watching to tell my fiancee..."

"Don't worry about a thing, I'll be on my best behavior."

Ginny smiled and her brothers and Harry crowded around her and the dancer, cheering and handing Ginny more shots.

Somewhere around midnight they all staggered out of the club and across the street to the hotel. Percy got the key to the suite they had booked and everyone stumbled into the lift. Ron turned green when it lurched to go upwards. When they got to the suite they opened up the mini-bar, two of the dancers from the club came up to the room at Geroge's invitation, the one Ginny had gotten her lap dance from and another. After another few hours of drinking everyone passed out all over the rooms. Ginny was in one of the beds in the bedroom and Percy in the other, Harry and Charlie were on the couch, George and Bill were each in an overstuffed armchair, Ron had somehow ended up laying across four barstools.

Ginny awoke to a loud crash followed by Ron swearing and the rest of her brothers yelling at him for making such a noise followed by a series of moans and groans about the loud noise everyone else was making. Ginny groaned then rolled over to look at the clock.

"Noon…" she muttered. "Want more sleep…"

"Nope, sorry Gin," Percy said chipperly. "We've got to try and clean up a little then be out of here. Check-out time is in an hour."

"Cleaning is for the maids." Ginny put a pillow over her head and attempted to go back to sleep.

"Come on sis, get up!" Percy pulled the blankets back and Ginny screamed then clutched her head and groaned.

"You're a complete pain in the arse!"

"I know, get up."

Ginny staggered into the room where the rest of her brothers and Harry were clutching their heads and groaning. Bill passed around a large bottle of hangover potion and after a few drinks everyone started feeling somewhat better.

"Good party," George said, looking around. There were empty bottles everywhere. "Wonder what time the girls left."

"Right before you all started passing out," Percy said as he picked up the throw pillows off the floor.

"Anyone gonna be in any trouble when our wives interrogate you, Perce?" Harry asked.

"Nope. Although that one dancer did make a ton of passes at you, Gin. You were too drunk to care though I think."

"Whatever, as long as I kept my hands to myself."

"You did, don't worry. Come on, let's get out of here."

The group took cabs back to the Leaky Cauldron. Everyone Flooed back to their respective houses, Charlie to the Burrow since he was staying there until after the wedding. Ginny followed Harry to Grimmauld Place. Ginny was met by a sly-smiling Hermione.

"So are we still getting married?" Hermione asked.

"Percy said everyone behaved themselves. I'll have to take his word for it since I don't remember much after we left the club. Can I go up and sleep now?"

"Of course, love. You're not sleeping for more than a couple hours though so you'll sleep good tonight."

"You sound like my mum."

"Well I am one so it all works out."

"Yeah, but you're a hot mum. There's a difference, see?"

"Go up to bed, Gin." Hermione smiled.

Ginny awoke a few hours later to light kisses on her neck and Hermione's hands roaming under her shirt.

"I like this alarm clock…" Ginny moaned as Hermione bit down on her neck.

"Good because starting Sunday morning you get to wake up to it every day for the rest of our lives."

"You got time for a quick one?" Ginny smiled.

"I wish, love. But right now I've got to get ready to go to the Lovegood house with Luna. My party won't be anything like yours, I just asked for a simple little gathering. All your brother's wives will be there. Fleur and Angelina are bringing the babies. Willow and Aislin said they might drop in, too. I'll be back sometime this evening."

"Speaking of my brothers and their mates. Charlie's gay."

"You didn't know that already?"

"How did you know?!"

"He asked me what my dress looked like and told me the perfect style of shoes that would go with it."

"That would give it away, yeah."

Ginny crawled out of bed and headed downstairs she fell onto the couch next to Harry.

"You get some sleep?" he asked.

"Yeah, a little. You?"

"Yeah."

"Something wrong, Harry?"

"Trying to figure out what to use your room for when you move out," he smirked.

"Love you too, Harry."

Hermione came downstairs with Luna and they Flooed away to the Lovegood House although when they got there they just Flooed to the Burrow to meet the other women and walked over to Hermione and Ginny's newly finished house.


	34. Chapter 34

This one is pretty short but I think I make up for it in the next one...

* * *

**-Chapter 34-**

Hermione's party was simple, like she had wanted. She showed the other women around the house and Fleur offered copious amounts of decorating advice. When they walked in the front door there was a staircase slightly to the right, passed it there was the large open sitting room and fireplace. The study was behind a door on the other side of the sitting room, in the study was a half-bathroom. To the left was the open dining room, a glass door led to the sunroom. A swinging door on the far wall of the dining room led to the kitchen. Up the staircase there was the master suite directly to the left and three other bedrooms, two across the hallway (the one directly across the hallway from the suite was Lennox's) with two bathrooms in between and the other bedroom was to the right of the staircase.

Hermione didn't bother showing them the basement seeing as it was unfinished. She couldn't decide what to do with it so she decided to wait and see what the future held. The women ate a light dinner that Molly had brought with them.

"This is amazing, Hermione. Really. Ginny is going to be so surprised," Willow said while they were all relaxing in the sitting room.

"I hope she is. She knows I was planning something but I don't think she ever quite figured it out. I'm about to burst not being able to tell her though."

"When will you tell her?"

"After the wedding and reception. She thinks we're just going to Floo to Grimmauld Place then drive to my flat. Instead I'm going to apparate both of us here, Harry and Luna will have Lennox at the Lovegood house. My parents are driving out here so one of them is bringing my car to park at the house then they'll drive over there together the morning of."

"Zat eez so romantic!" Fleur said.

After a bit more gossip and finishing off the rest of the wine everyone said their goodbyes. Hermione and Luna Flooed back to Grimmauld Place. They found Harry and Ginny asleep on the couch, one twin on each of their chests and Lennox curled up next to Ginny. Hermione shook her head and smiled.

Friday night the residents of Grimmauld Place went to the Burrow for dinner. Everything was set up outside for the wedding but all the chairs and tables were hidden by the large enchanted tent. It looked small for a wedding but inside it there was plenty of space and it had been enchanted to stay at a comfortable temperature.

"Hermione, this is ridiculous. We've practically been living together for months now. I don't understand why you're insisting on this," Ginny said before Hermione Flooed away for the night.

"Gin, we're going to have the rest of our lives to spend in each others arms. This won't kill you."

"You're so damn stubborn."

"You love me for it."

"Yeah, well it's hard not to."

Ginny pulled Hermione for a kiss.

"Just think, love," Hermione said when they separated, "the next time we do that will be at our wedding."

"I can't wait."

"Get some sleep tonight okay?"

"I will, promise. You too."

"I will. Goodnight Gin."

"Love you, 'Mione."


	35. Chapter 35

**-Chapter 35-**

Willow, Aislin, and Molly were up early with Ginny. She barely touched her breakfast because of the butterflies in her stomach. Harry Flooed in and Ginny pulled him into the sitting room before they both went upstairs to start getting ready.

"So you got any advice for me, Harry? You're my best man and all; you're supposed to give me advice or something, right?"

"I think you two will do all right. You don't have to worry about fights with the toilet seat so that's good. Don't buy anything expensive without talking to her, that's a big one."

"Oh yes, the fiasco with the motorbike, I remember that. At least the buyer took it back."

"Yeah, at half the bloody price. I guess the best advice I can offer you is to just don't do anything you wouldn't want her to do to you. And if you do screw up then own up to it, don't think you can get away with it."

"What...what if I do mess this up, Harry? I know we've been through a lot and spent a lot of time together but...I just...we...it's like actually happening now, you know?"

"You won't mess this up, Ginny. You two…you were made for each other, you know? She calms you down, you fire her up. Despite what people might think, I'm a big believer in things happening for a reason. If you weren't meant to be together then I would never have run into her on the street last year."

Ginny smiled and pulled Harry into a hug. "Thank you, Harry. For everything. For helping me sober up, for forcing Hermione and I to have dinner together every week, for being there through everything that has happened the last year…just…thanks."

"You're like my sister, Gin. I'd do anything for you. We're gonna miss you around Grimmauld, you know? You've helped out so much. Thanks for all of that."

"I'll still be around. We'll still be doing Friday dinners and all that won't we?"

"Of course. You know you will be welcome anytime."

"I guess we better get upstairs. You've got the rings, right?"

"Yeah, they're upstairs with my dress robes. I'll see you in a little bit."

On her way back through the Burrow Arthur hurried passed her outside, telling her he would be back later. He had to ride with Hermione's mother over to the Lovegood house so she could help out.

Ginny headed up the stairs to her room where her mother and teammates were waiting for her. Aislin started working on Ginny's hair, leaving it down cascading over her shoulders but putting gentle curls in and conjuring tiny white flowers that sprinkled the red locks. After Willow finished her makeup Ginny stepped into her dress and Molly zipped it up.

"My baby girl…" Molly said with a sniffle when Ginny turned around to face her. "Oh my little baby Ginny!"

"Mum, it's okay." Ginny hugged her mother.

"It just seems like yesterday when I held you in my arms the first time. You were so tiny but so full of fight."

"Mum, you're kind of embarrassing me."

"Oh no, please, go on," Willow said with a smile.

"Oh gods! Mum! Did you get what I asked you to?"

"Oh yes! I did! Picked it up just yesterday," Molly said. She handed Ginny a small box that she pulled out of her pocket. "The man at the shop said it should be good as new if not better. He put a strengthening charm on it as well so it won't break very easily."

"Guests are staring to arrive," Aislin said, peering out the window.

"I should get downstairs then. I'll see you in a little while dear." Molly turned and hurried quickly out of Ginny's room. There was the distinct sound of her sobbing while she went down the stairs.

Harry appeared in the doorway in his dress robes.

"Almost time," he said.

Ginny nodded and took a deep breath. She headed downstairs and Harry escorted her into one of the small rooms in the back inside the tent.

...............

Hermione was up at almost the crack of dawn. She checked the two bags with her dress and Lennox's dress robes making sure every piece was there. She woke Lennox and Flooed the both of them with their bags over to the Lovegood house. She was greeted by a very chipper Luna who had a cup of tea and some breakfast waiting. Her mother arrived with Arthur and he waited in Harry and Luna's sitting room with the twins and Lennox while the women helped Hermione get ready.

"Any advice for me, either of you?" Hermione asked while her mother pulled her hair up into a twist.

"Don't buy a motorbike without telling her," Luna said.

Hermione laughed. "Harry?"

"Yes, about a year after we got married. He returned it after I told him it was either me or the bike though."

"You two will be just fine," Mrs. Granger said.

"You were made for each other," Luna said. "You calm her down and she fires you up. Harry would never have run into you if you weren't meant to be."

Hermione stepped into her dress and Luna zipped it up.

"How do I look?"

Hermione's mother started sobbing into her handkerchief. "You look so beautiful! Oh…oh dear…you look…oh my little girl!"

"Mum, it's okay."

"Oh of course it is! I just…I almost missed this because of my stupid temper and now…oh now I don't even know why I was ever angry! You just look so beautiful!"

Hermione hugged her mother tight.

"I love you, Mum. I'm glad you're here."

"We need to get going," Luna said, pointing to a clock. She checked herself in the mirror, and adjusted her pale blue dress. The three women headed to the sitting room. Arthur smiled when he saw Hermione and hugged her.

"You look beautiful, Hermione."

"Thank you Arthur."

"I've put an expansion charm on the car, just temporarily, so no one has to worry about using the Floo."

Everyone headed outside and piled into what looked like a normal sized car. Hermione had to calm her mother down when she saw the inside of the car. They arrived at the Burrow safely, Luna took Hermione to her small room in the back of the tent to wait.

...............

The enchanted tent was magnificent. It gave the feeling of being outside in the springtime and thanks to the work of Neville and Professor Sprout it smelled like springtime as well with all of the flowers that were everywhere. Doves fluttered above. The Ceremony Wizard flipped through his book and found the correct page. Every single surviving member of the Order of the Phoenix and most of Dumbledore's Army, several Hogwarts teachers, the entire Holyhead Harpies team and some of Team England, and of course the plethora of Weasleys sat on either side of the aisle in white chairs.

There was a knock on the door of Ginny's room.

"It's Dad, sweetie. It's time."

Ginny took a deep breath and stepped out of her room. She nodded at Hermione's father who was waiting outside the door of the other small room. Arthur walked Ginny to the end of the aisle and she watched as Harry and Luna made their way to the other end. Arthur wiped a tear from his eye and Ginny stretched up to kiss him on the cheek.

"Thank you, Dad. For everything you've ever done for me," Ginny said as they slowly made their way down the aisle walking in step with the string quartet's elegant fanfare.

"You're my daughter, Ginny. I'd do anything for you."

Ginny and Arthur stepped to the right side of the aisle next to Harry. She looked over to Hermione's mother who was holding Lennox and smiled. Ginny looked up to the end of the aisle. She couldn't breathe. There was some invisible force that had taken absolutely every bit of air from her lungs. Hermione's white, strapless, floor-length gown trailed behind her as she walked painstakingly slow towards the front of the room. Ginny's eyes looked over every bit of Hermione's dress. There were miniscule pearly beads that traveled in swirling patterns all over the dress and down the gown. Ginny's eyes traveled to Hermione's lips...

"_Right now I am going nowhere. It is just you and me, here and now," Ginny whispered as she traced her thumb over Hermione's lips._

_And with that, Ginny leaned in and pressed her lips against Hermione's. They were salty from the tears but Ginny knew that any other time they would be sweet like honey. Hermione stretched her legs away from her chest and slid her arm around Ginny's waist. Ginny gently bit Hermione's lower lip and Hermione let out a whimper. Hermione slipped her tongue into Ginny's mouth and their tongues danced together, swirling each other. Hermione pulled back for a split second and then their lips touched once more._

"Ten years…" she whispered to herself. "Finally…"

...............

There was a knock at the door of Hermione's small room.

"It's time." She heard her father's voice from the other side. Hermione took a deep breath and opened the door. She took her father's arm and walked to the end of the aisle. There, at the other end of it, with her flaming red hair and her light brown eyes that screamed passion, was Ginny. Hermione's eyes never once left her soon to be wife as she traveled down the aisle. Ginny's freckled shoulders were partially hidden by the straps of her long white dress. A champagne colored ribbon was tight around her waist, separating the tight top from the long train. And there in the middle of her chest was a pendant. A green spherical pendant attached to a thin silver chain. A cold chill ran down Hermione's spine and she shivered…

"_I…want it to happen tonight, Hermione. I want to be with you…I want you, all of you. And I want you to have all of me."_

"_Are you sure? I don't want this to happen unless you really want it to."_

"_I'm sure," Ginny said as she nervously approached a smiling Hermione. She took Hermione's hands in her own and looked deep into those dark brown eyes. "I love you, Hermione."_

"Ten years…" Hermione whispered to herself. "Finally…"

Hermione reached her destination, she stood in front of Ginny and could do nothing but smile as they joined hands.

"You're so beautiful," Hermione whispered.

"So are you love. So gorgeous."

Their fathers sat down and the two looked at nothing but each other while the Ceremony Wizard spoke.

"I first met these two young ladies," the Ceremony Wizard started, "at the wedding of Ginevra's oldest brother. They were young then, the world was in disarray as a war was starting. They didn't care though. Their love was young but intense. So intense that it lasted through the war, through being separated for months, through the troubles of a young relationship. It even lasted through a misunderstanding that kept them apart for almost six years. In that time they tried to move on with their lives but it was to no avail. Nothing the two faced alone was enough to keep their souls from bonding once more as their paths crossed again. Again their love has triumphed. It has pulled them through the many unpleasant events of the passed year. It goes to show all of us that the one thing we can rely on in this world is love. A great wizard, who many of you had the pleasure of knowing, was adamant on that. Albus Dumbledore was always preaching to everyone that love will always conquer all. I believe these two are a prime example of that."

Hermione glanced up at Harry who was beaming with a smile. She looked back to Ginny and smiled.

"The couple has opted to write their own vows. Miss Granger, the floor is yours."

Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat and smiled.

"Ginny, I've loved you since I was sixteen, since the moment your lips first touched mine over ten years ago. I promise you that every step you take I will be by your side. Every adventure will be taken together. Every joy will be shared. Your burdens will never be your own because I will be by your side to help you carry them. Every day I will love you with my whole heart and nothing less. I promise I'll always be there for you, now, tomorrow, every single day for the rest of our lives."

Ginny's bottom lip quivered as she smiled at her beautiful bride. Molly sobbed.

"Miss Weasley?"

"Gods, how do I top that?"

There was a chuckle from the crowd.

"'Mione, my love, my sweetheart, my baby; we've been through hell and back together. Every moment I've ever spent with you has only made me a better person. I've loved you since our first kiss, I continued loving you through good times and through bad. My heart has always been yours and no one else's. I promise you that not one moment will pass from now on until forever that I will not love, respect, cherish, and adore you. All of you. I told you once and I'll say it again; you're it for me, you always have been."

Hermione smiled, Molly sobbed even harder as did Hermione's mother.

"The rings, please then Mr. Potter?"

Harry handed over the two thin, simple, silver bands. Ginny took one and slipped it onto Hermione's finger and nestled it up next to the band with the heart shaped stone. Hermione took the other and did the same to Ginny.

"Then I declare you both, bonded for life!" The wizard took out his wand and waved it over the couple; gold sparks fell from it and showered the two. Ginny wrapped an arm around Hermione's waist and pulled her in close.

"I love you Ginevra," Hermione whispered.

"And I love you Hermione."

Hermione slipped one hand around the back of Ginny's neck and pulled her in for a kiss. The kiss. The kiss they and everyone they knew had been waiting for ten years to witness. Ginny gently dipped Hermione back and their lips touched. The golden sparks that were still showering the two encircled their bodies and exploded. They came back to reality to an eruption of cheers. Both women smiled at each other, intertwined their fingers and ran down the aisle.


	36. Chapter 36

**-Chapter 36-**

The large tent changed after all of the guests stood up. The white chairs moved around to round tables that appeared out of nowhere. One rectangular table sat to the side with Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Luna seated at it. A large dance floor appeared and the quartet moved to a stage. A fountain of champagne appeared in one corner. Food appeared on all of the tables and everyone enjoyed lunch.

"Can I have everyone's attention please," Harry said as he stood up and raised his glass. The room fell silent. "I just want to say, having known both of these wonderful women for most of my life; they are both brave, caring, loving and just all around amazing individuals and I don't know where any of us would be if it weren't for either of them. So to you guys I say congratulations, _finally_!"

The place erupted in cheers again and music played. Hermione and Ginny shared their first dance with Lennox in between them, held by Ginny. Even though it was cold outside George made the tent roof disappear for a few minutes while he set off fireworks. It was still quite light out but the fireworks were vivid across the sky as they zoomed around writing out "Hermione & Ginny" and then surrounding it with hearts bursting all over the place. The roof was replaced and everyone went back to dancing.

Hermione and Ginny took a break from dancing and sat in their seats at their table, fingers intertwined.

"I can't wait to get that dress off of you," Ginny purred to her wife.

"Mmmm soon, love. Soon."

"We could leave now, I don't think anyone would notice."

"The absence of the just married couple is usually noticed."

"I could always duck under the table for a couple of minutes."

"Only you, Ginevra. Only you." Hermione giggled and kissed her wife. "I've been meaning to ask about this. How did you…?" She picked up the pendant that was resting on Ginny's chest.

"I broke the chain the day you left, it was an accident. I found it in some of my things while I was packing to move and had Mum take it to a wizard jeweler to have it repaired. He even put a strengthening charm on the chain so it won't break as easily."

"You never cease to amaze me, Ginny."

It seemed like forever but finally, after hours of drinking, dancing, and mingling the crowd started saying their goodbyes to the newlywed couple and dispersing. Harry and Luna took Lennox and the twins with them to the Lovegood house and Hermione and Ginny said their goodbyes to their parents in the Burrow while the after-wedding crew cleaned up the outside.

"Come on, 'Mione. I don't know how much longer I can wait," Ginny said as she pulled Hermione over to the fireplace.

"We're not going to use the Floo, Gin."

"Don't tease me like this 'Mione, come on!"

"Hold on to me, we're apparating."

"What? That's a long ways…"

"Not as long as you would think. Now hold on to me."

Ginny grabbed onto Hermione's arm and the familiar squeezing feeling hit her but in a moment it was gone again. She looked around, puzzled. They had landed on a doorstep. The house was not one she recognized, it was a pale blue with white shutters, two stories and it looked brand new.

"Where are we?"

"Welcome home, love."

"What? Hermione…_what?!_"

"You honestly didn't know?"

"No! Oh my…gods…Hermione…this is a house! It's a house! You…how…a house!"

"If you don't quiet down your parents are going to think something's wrong. I'm sure they can hear us from here."

"What?!"

Hermione pointed in the direction of the Burrow. They couldn't see it because of the patch of forest surrounding the river but they could see a puff of smoke rising from the chimney. "Right through those woods, across the river, through some more woods and up the hill."

"I…I don't even…Hermione…_you!_ You were the one that bought the land and built the…oh my God! I wondered…why…you never wanted to talk about…oh my God!"

"Well are you going to stand out here all night and yell or are you going to carry me across this threshold Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione opened the front door and smirked. Ginny smiled and wrapped one arm around Hermione's waist then hoisted her up. They kissed as Ginny stepped inside. Lanterns on every wall illuminated as soon as they stepped in. Ginny let Hermione down and looked around in absolute amazement.

"How did you…"

"I had plenty of help, trust me. I owe our entire family about a billion favors, Harry and Luna too. Would you like the grand tour now or later?"

"If by grand tour you mean our bedroom then now."

Hermione grabbed Ginny's hand and the two women thundered up the stairs and took a sharp left to the bedroom door. Hermione pushed the door open and Ginny didn't even bother looking at anything else except the bed. She quickly reached around Hermione's back and unzipped her from the confines of her dress while the brunette pulled her hair out of the twist and the dress fell into a pile on the floor. Ginny turned around and pulled her hair out of the way while Hermione unzipped her dress and pulled it off of her wife. They fell onto the bed and rolled around a bit until the ended up facing each other on their sides.

"I love you Mrs. Granger," Ginny said as she ran her fingers through Hermione's hair.

"I love you Mrs. Weasley."

The pair kissed and became lost in each other in the bed.


	37. Chapter 37

**-Epilogue-**

It had been nearly thirteen years to the day since Hermione and Ginny had walked down the aisle at their wedding ceremony at the Burrow. Hermione Flooed in to the fireplace in the sitting room of her and Ginny's house with a bouquet of red roses in one arm and her briefcase in the other, she was greeted by the smell of something delicious cooking. She walked through the sitting room and into the kitchen and saw Ginny at the counter, dicing a clove of garlic.

"Hey love, picked these up for you." Hermione put her briefcase on the kitchen counter, walked over to her wife and slipped her arms around her waist, holding the flowers in front of her.

"These are beautiful, thank you! Our anniversary isn't for a couple of weeks though!" Ginny turned around and kissed Hermione.

"I know. Someone was selling them in the atrium at the Ministry to raise money for refurbishing the tea room at St. Mungo's. What are you cooking? I've never seen you chop anything by hand before."

"I was in London this afternoon for a quick interview with the Puddlemere captain and when we went to lunch at this Muggle café I saw the chefs in the back working and it looked like fun so I thought I'd give it a go and cook dinner from scratch tonight," Ginny said, turning around back to the stove and carefully picking up the diced garlic with her knife and dropping it into the pot of hot, bubbling soup. "Mum helped out with the kids while I was gone. Right now Rose is in her bedroom either reading or coming up with a list of things the others did wrong today, I think Ty is trying to feed his snake, and Gideon is doing lines because he decided to throw another fit today about not being able to go to Hogwarts. He's worse than I was when my brothers were getting ready to go off, I swear it. Lennox, Arthur, and Iris are downstairs, I think."

No more than four months after they were married and plenty of research, Hermione and Ginny had decided to see a specialist Healer to start growing their family. Much to their surprise the procedure was similar to the "Muggle way" of artificial conception. Ginny (to no surprise, considering the fertility of her mother) conceived twins after the first try.

Arthur and Iris were born a few weeks after Hermione and Ginny's one year anniversary. Both sported bright red Weasley hair but the two couldn't be more different in personality. Even though he was more than two years younger, Arthur was close with James and Albus, if their parents couldn't find them anywhere then chances are the three of them were somewhere causing trouble. Iris and the Potter twin's younger sister, Lily, were close as well. Both had an affinity for books and writing and spent most of their time following Luna and Ginny around their publication offices. Hermione was delighted when she found Iris in the study one day over the summer curled up with _Hogwarts: A History._ The oldest Granger-Weasley twins were apprehensively waiting to begin at Hogwarts that year with their older brother who was now in his sixth year as a Gryffindor.

The same Healer tried four times with Hermione. After the fourth failed try the women consulted a Muggle doctor who tried twice more but to no avail.

_"Maybe...I should just...go out and get drunk!" Hermione sobbed._

_"Baby, listen to me, I know you're frustrated but we can try again in a few months, okay?"_

_"We've tried six times, Ginny! Including the others we should have more than enough for entire Quidditch team by now!"_

_"Maybe...maybe I could try again."  
_

To no shock Ginny again conceived on the first try. Gideon, also sporting the bright ginger hair inherited from Ginny, still had two years to go before he started at Hogwarts and he was not pleased about it. Just like Ginny in personality, he was feisty, adventurous and had a love for breaking the rules. He'd been in trouble more than once when his little sister told their mothers he snuck into the garage over the summer to steal a broom to ride around on without permission.

_"You know you can't punish him for this, Gin. You did the same thing."_

_"Yeah and I damn near broke my neck a few times! He can fly but only if I know he's doing it; those were the rules for Lennox and Arthur, they just never broke them!"_

_"You know that George will tell him you stole your brothers' brooms when he complains about it, right?"_

_"He'll get over it. What are you going to tell the kids if they want to take a year off of school to go on a prolonged camping trip?"_

_"That's...totally different, Ginny! There was a reason for all of that!"_

_"Just let me handle this, okay?"_

_"You're so damn stubborn."_

_"You love me."_

After two different Healers tried twice again and another try from a team of Muggle doctors Hermione was told that she just couldn't conceive and it was a miracle she had Lennox to begin with. After begging and pleading with the doctors to just try one last time Ginny and Hermione were shocked to find out that not only was Hermione expecting but...

_"You're having twins," the doctor said after putting away the ultrasound machine._

_"Wh-what!? I...what?!"_

_"Merlin's beard, Hermione! Twins!"  
_

_"Yes, Mrs. Granger, Mrs. Weasley. Twins. However because of the difficulty we had with your conception you must take it easy. Do you want to know what you're having?"_

_"I...do we, 'Mione?"_

_"No, I want to be surprised. We have boy and girl things so we're all set."  
_

Rose and Tybalt "Ty" were welcomed excitedly by their family eight years ago the passed summer. Rose was the mirror image of Hermione at age eight, her brown hair was nearly untamable without the use of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, she was incredibly stubborn, and was the first to inform someone if they had broken a rule. Tybalt looked remarkably like his oldest brother but was definitely less calm but not as stubborn or outspoken as his twin. They were extremely excited after hearing about Hermione's adventures with S.P.E.W. and so the youngest Granger-Weasley twins were determined to find some cause of their own to champion. Over the summer they had started bringing home random creatures they found to keep as pets. Hermione was almost horrified when Molly remembered that Charlie had been the exact same way when he was younger.

Lennox had sprouted up the year before, he was taller than both Ginny and Hermione now. He retained his chocolate brown hair and his eyes were still almost exactly like Hermione's. His build was rather muscular, he spent plenty of time lifting his younger siblings and enjoying early morning runs with Ginny and lots of time playing Quidditch with his cousins.

"Speaking of our Hogwarts students, any letters today?" Hermione asked while she searched for a vase for Ginny's roses.

"Post came earlier but I haven't had a chance to go through it yet. I stopped by the office and talked to Luna for a little bit today and she said that Al is _still_ protesting about James being in Gryffindor and him and being in Ravenclaw. You'd think he'd be fine with it by now. Lily is fine with being in Ravenclaw, not sure why Al can't get over it."

There was a thunder coming down the stairs and also coming from the basement and Hermione was nearly tackled by the six children that greeted her.

"Ma! Gideon had to do lines again today! He was so mad!" Rose squealed. "And Ty and me found a toad! Can we keep him Ma? Can we please?"

"Did our Hogwarts letters come yet?" Lennox asked.

"When do we get to go to Diagon Alley to get our stuff?"

"Can I get a cat?"

"Rose is tattling again! It's none of her business I had to do lines!"

"Ma, what are we supposed to feed the toad?"

"Calm down! One at a time, guys. Rose, you can keep it only if it stays in the woodshed. I don't know if the letters have come yet, Lennox. Arthur, we will go when we have your list. Iris, we'll see about the cat. Gideon, we'll talk about it in a little while. Ty, owl your Uncle Charlie or Aunt Luna and ask them. Now, all of you except for Gideon go wash up for dinner."

Five of the six kids thundered up the stairs and Gideon looked at the floor, his red hair falling in his eyes.

"Gideon," Ginny said as she stirred the soup, "do you want to talk about your fit today and apologize or do you want to do more lines?"

"I'm sorry Mum," Gideon groaned. "I'm just gonna be bored without everyone around. Rose and Ty just want to play with their animals and I wanna play Quidditch!"

"You're too young to be playing right now, I told you this summer," Ginny said. "You can fly when I am watching but no playing Quidditch until you get to Hogwarts. That's the rule and you know it."

"But you…"

"Go wash up for dinner," Hermione said before he had another outburst. She ran her fingers through his bright red hair. "You need a haircut this weekend."

Gideon ran back upstairs and Hermione sorted through the post.

"Three Hogwarts letters, _The Daily Prophet_, and a thank you card from Victoire and Teddy for the wedding gift."

"Finally! I thought their letters would never get here. Lennox has been driving me up the wall for a week about it. Guess this means we'll be going to Diagon Alley this weekend."

"Letters? Did they finally come?" Lennox asked as he sprinted back into the kitchen.

"Well I would assume so since that one is addressed to one Mr. L. Granger-Weasley and it has a Hogwarts seal on it," Ginny teased. She tasted her soup and smiled, satisfied.

"Funny, Mum!" Lennox grabbed his letter and tore it open, a small badge fell out onto the countertop.

"Quidditch Captain?!" Hermione squealed as she stared at the badge Lennox picked up and admired. "Ginny! Ginny! Lennox made Quidditch Captain!"

"Fantastic!" Ginny dropped her spoon and hugged him.

"Oh Lennox, honey this is so wonderful, we're so proud of you! When we go to Diagon Alley this weekend is there anything special you'd like?"

"Well…" Lennox said quietly, looking at Ginny, "I think I might have cracked my broom handle the other day, it's got some awful turbulence. I-I know you save those big things for Christmas and birthdays but…"

"Say no more," Ginny said. "We'll take a look at brooms this weekend. Still thinking about switching to Keeper?"

"Yeah, Uncle Harry said I'd make a good one last weekend when we were at Gram and Grandad Weasley's for dinner. I'm just not quick enough to be a Seeker anymore. James said he is going to try for Beater and Al wants to try for Seeker for Ravenclaw."

"You're gonna be a Keeper, Len!?" Gideon said as he bounced back into the kitchen followed by the rest of his siblings.

"I'm gonna try."

"And," Hermione said with a huge smile, "your big brother is now not only a prefect but Quidditch Captain, too!"

There was a series of "ooohs" and "ahhhs" from the younger Granger-Weasley children as they admired their big brother's shiny new badge.

"Dinner is done," Ginny said as she took several bowls down from the cupboard and handed them to Arthur. "Iris, will you get the spoons out of the dresser? And all the rest of you get your glasses and help set the table. 'Mione can you get the bread out of the oven?"

Ginny and Hermione joined their children at the table. Over all of the excitement and noise at the table it was a wonder the two women could hear themselves think let alone carry on a conversation. Once the children had started eating though it was much quieter.

"How are things at work, Gin?" Hermione asked.

Ginny had quit working at _The Daily Prophet_ after one Quidditch season so she could raise the children. After Luna got _The Quibbler_ up and going again Ginny started writing columns from home. After Rose and Tybalt were born Ginny was getting restless with writing monthly columns so as soon as the youngest twins were old enough to Floo, with Luna's help Ginny had started publishing her own monthly magazine dedicated to Quidditch. The response was such that after only two years of publication Ginny and Luna expanded their offices and were now running the publication of five magazines out of the buildings surrounding the Lovegood House.

"Good. We finally got another printing press in so now we don't have to worry about what happens if one of them breaks down. Firebolt wants to run an exclusive advertising campaign with us so I am meeting with them next week to start negotiating."

"That is fantastic, Ginny!" Hermione beamed. "And the soup is fantastic as well, of course!"

"It's from one of Mum's cookbooks, I just didn't use magic. How was work for you?"

After having co-written legislation for the equality of house elves, Hermione transferred to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. She had co-sponsored or written legislation for the equality or ethical treatment of werewolves, half-giants, and centaurs, just to name a few. She was quickly working her way up in the Wizengamot and practically transforming the Ministry singlehandedly.

"It was very busy. The passing of the non-pureblood equality laws is going great but trying to get the Department to enforce them is an entirely new hurdle. Harry and Ron have been extremely helpful in the Auror department but all of the others seem resistant. I guess it is just like the all the others, it will just take some time." Hermione sighed.

"Speaking of Ron," Ginny said, "Willow wants us to come in to Grimmauld Saturday night. She wants us to talk Ron out of naming the baby after himself since he's sure this one is a boy."

Ron and Willow had bought Number 12 Grimmauld Place when the Potters moved into the Lovegood House permanently after Luna and Ginny started working on their second publication. The eldest of Ron and Willow's three daughters, Emma, was to start Hogwarts the next year. Their second daughter, Rachael, was Tybalt and Rose's age and the youngest, Kate, had just turned four.

"It had better be a boy, he's driving me mad at work going on about needing another man around the house," Hermione said.

"I happen to like having girl cousins!" Rose piped up. "Are we going on Saturday? Please can we go? I know Rachael will want to know about the new toad! And can we go to Diagon Alley? I want to go to…"

"Let me guess," Gideon groaned, "Magical Menagerie? We _always_ go there!"

"Well we always have to go to the Quidditch store because you want to!"

"The Quidditch store is fun though!"

"Animals are more fun than your silly broomsticks! Don't you think so Ty? You like animals better!"

"I like both..." Ty whispered.

"You're my twin! You're supposed to agree with me!"

"Nuh-uh! He's supposed to 'gree with me 'cause we're boys!"

"I can like both, can't I?" Ty looked at Ginny then to Hermione, wide-eyed.

"Of course you can, sweetheart." Ginny smiled and tousled his hair. "And as for Saturday, we are definitely going Diagon Alley to get everyone's Hogwarts things. We have to go to both stores so there is no sense in arguing over it, all right?"

"Yes Mum," Rose and Gideon chimed.

After dinner and getting the youngest three children settled in to bed and saying goodnight to Iris who was in the study reading and Lennox and Arthur who were in the sitting room playing Wizard's Chess, Hermione and Ginny retired to the master suite.

They were sitting in bed, Ginny was reading a book. Hermione was going through a stack of papers and let out a frustrated groan.

"Something wrong, love?" Ginny set down her book.

"It seems as though no matter how much legislation we pass there is always someone that is going to complain about it. I cannot believe some of these memos and letters, it's just ridiculous."

"Aw baby, I know things will be fine. You were worked up about the werewolf equality legislation not working, too, but look how much progress has been made! You're brilliant and stubborn, I know you'll find a way to get through to them."

Hermione sighed. "The werewolf legislation was easy though since Andromeda had the Lupin Facility built to help make sure most of it was possible. I know you're right but sometimes it is just so infuriating how little some of them care about others. Sometimes I feel like just giving up."

"Hey, hey! I don't want to hear you talking like that. Since when have you ever given up on anything? You're too stubborn to give up."

Hermione sighed.

"You know I would've walked down the aisle wearing jeans and a t-shirt if you hadn't demanded otherwise!" Ginny laughed.

Hermione smiled and leaned over and gave Ginny a quick kiss.

"I love you Ginevra, you know that? I don't know what I would do without you." Hermione smiled.

There were quick footsteps coming through the hallway followed by Rose's voice.

"Milton! Milton come back! I don't want you to get eaten! Milton come back!"

"Well for starters, you wouldn't have an adorable eight year old worrying about her pet mouse getting eaten by whatever is living in her brothers' rooms." Ginny smirked. Seconds later there was a screech from Gideon's room followed by Rose and Gideon arguing about how messy the room was and then Rose cooing to her recaptured mouse and hurrying back to her bedroom. "And you wouldn't have an adorable nine year old yelling at his sister because she's _exactly_ like her mother."

"Yes, thank you for that," Hermione replied, oozing with sarcasm.

Ginny continued reading her book and Hermione went back to her papers and they listened as Iris came upstairs and joined Rose in their room for bed which meant Arthur and Lennox were probably settled in their rooms in the basement. After another hour when she was sure everyone was asleep Ginny set down her book

"Kids are asleep," Ginny gave a seductive smile to Hermione who was still ruffling through her papers. "You know, it has been a while..."

Hermione set her papers and quill on her bedside table.

"What are you suggesting, Ginevra?" Hermione said and turned off her bedside lamp.

"Mmmm a little something like this." Ginny leaned over and kissed Hermione, her tongue pushed passed the brunette's lips. Hermione climbed on top of Ginny and began kissing down her neck. She nipped at her collarbone and Ginny let out a little moan. Hermione smiled and started slipping off Ginny's shirt. Just as she got it over her head they heard a crash in the hallway followed by Gideon and Rose yelling at each other again ("You're not supposed to be out of bed!" "Mind your own business, Rose!"), followed by even more yelling from the other two.

"Rose why do you have to be such a snitch?"

"I'm not a snitch, Ty! Besides, Gideon is the one breaking the rules!"

"Rose just come back to our room before they wake up!"

"No! Gideon is breaking the rules!"

Hermione dropped her head into Ginny's neck and sighed then giggled.

"You think they do it on purpose?" Ginny laughed and pulled her shirt back down.

"Sometimes I wonder. When did we decide to have six kids? I thought we decided not to have that many." Hermione rolled back over and got out of bed.

"You said you didn't want seven kids. Six is less than seven last time I checked. And as I recall you were the one that wanted to have more after Gideon."

"Yeah…well…not the point. Ten to one odds Gideon was sneaking down to the kitchen."

"Probably." Ginny groaned and got out of bed as well. After quite a fight Hermione and Ginny separated the four squabbling children with help from Lennox who had heard the commotion all the way in the basement, got them back to their rooms, and the two women collapsed back into their bed.

"I have so much more sympathy for Mum having to deal with all of us kids now," Ginny said as she rolled over and snuggled against Hermione. "I wouldn't change a thing though, Mrs. Granger."

"Neither would I, Mrs. Weasley. Neither would I."

"You want to try for another?" Ginny smiled.

"Are you serious?"

"Sure. With three off to Hogwarts…"

"Ginny, you really think we can handle another one? We're not young anymore, you know?"

"Oh come on 'Mione, forty isn't that old."

"I'm still thirty-nine. Don't even mention the 'f' word until next month…even then I probably won't like it."

"It's not that bad, love."

"Says you. You're not there yet! Back to the original point, I think six is enough. I thought we agreed after Rose and Ty were born that it was perfect because we'd each had three."

"I know we did but…I don't know. I just love being a mother, you know that."

"Yeah well knowing you, you'd have triplets or something."

"We could handle it..."

"I'll tell you what, when Ron and Willow's new baby gets here we can babysit for a day and if we can handle it with all the others we'll talk about it then. Okay love?"

"Deal."

Ginny spooned her stomach against Hermione's back. The scent of sweet peaches and summer air filled her nose and she smiled. Hermione turned her head back to Ginny, the two lovers kissed and the world stood still.

* * *

**Author's end notes: **Wow. I can't believe this is the end! I want to thank all of you that read from the very very beginning all the way through! An especially big thanks to all of my reviewers, I love reading every single comment. You're all awesome and I appreciate it so much! Thank you for taking the time to read all of this. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

As of the day this was published (10/20/09) I am toying around with a few new story ideas but nothing ready to be published yet so just keep a look out!


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